Drive or Fly: La Crosse, WI to Spring Valley, 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–GRB. At 218 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 37m

Distance

218 mi

Total Cost

$83

CO2

88 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$48

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 30m

20m in the air

Air Distance

170 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

43 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

La Crosse, WI → LSE 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

GRB → Spring Valley, WI 60m

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

Spring Valley, WI GRB — Austin Straubel International Airport 40 mi, ~60m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LSE and GRB. 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

5h 44m

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 → Spring Valley, WI 94m

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 63 mi, ~94m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	4h 37m	3h 30m	5h 44m
Total cost (1 person)	$83	$182	$35
Carbon footprint	88 kg CO₂	43 kg CO₂	10 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 — 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 16, 2026.

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