Drive or Fly: La Crosse, WI to Port Washington, WI?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for LSE–MKE. At 202 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 24m

Distance

202.3 mi

Total Cost

$80

CO2

82 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$45

Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0

Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Comfortable one-day drive

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 16m

20m in the air

Air Distance

171 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

44 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

La Crosse, WI → LSE 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MKE → Port Washington, WI 46m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

La Crosse, WI LSE — La Crosse Regional Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

Port Washington, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 30 mi, ~46m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LSE and MKE. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 47m

3h 20m on rail

Total Cost

$35

CO2

10 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

La Crosse, WI → La Crosse 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 200m

Arrival 10m

Milwaukee → Port Washington, WI 37m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $35) $35

Estimated based on distance. Check amtrak.com for current prices.

Stations

From La Crosse 2 mi, ~10m drive

To Milwaukee 24 mi, ~37m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 46m

2h 45m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

8 kg

Route

Greyhound US0150

Door-to-Door Timeline

La Crosse, WI → Tomah (McDonald's) (TOM6) 59m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 165m

Arrival 10m

Milwaukee Intermodal Station (MKE6) → Port Washington, WI 37m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

Estimated based on distance. Check flixbus.com for current prices.

Stations

From TOM6 — Tomah (McDonald's) 40 mi, ~59m drive

To MKE6 — Milwaukee Intermodal Station 24 mi, ~37m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	4h 24m	3h 16m	4h 47m	4h 46m
Total cost (1 person)	$80	$182	$35	$16
Carbon footprint	82 kg CO₂	44 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Transit: Amtrak GTFS, FlixBus GTFS — fares estimated

Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Apr 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

202.3 mi 4h 24m

via I 90, WI 33, WI 16

Alternative (+18 min)

206.5 mi 4h 42m

via I 90, WI 23, WI 82

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from La Crosse, WI to Port Washington, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.