Drive or Fly: Lowville, WI to Eau Claire, 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 MSN–EAU. At 165 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 5m

Distance

165.7 mi

Total Cost

$72

CO2

67 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$37

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

2h 53m

18m in the air

Air Distance

146 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lowville, WI → MSN 25m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

EAU → Eau Claire, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Lowville, WI MSN — Dane County Regional Truax Field 17 mi, ~25m drive

Eau Claire, WI EAU — Chippewa Valley Regional Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSN and EAU. 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 30m

2h 10m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lowville, WI → Portage 20m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 130m

Arrival 10m

Winona → Eau Claire, WI 80m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From Portage 13 mi, ~20m drive

To Winona 53 mi, ~80m 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 33m

3h 25m on road

Total Cost

$18

CO2

10 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lowville, WI → Madison (Madison Campus WI) (MADI) 33m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 205m

Arrival 10m

Eau Claire (McDonald's) (5EU) → Eau Claire, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From MADI — Madison (Madison Campus WI) 22 mi, ~33m drive

To 5EU — Eau Claire (McDonald's) 5 mi, ~10m 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	3h 5m	2h 53m	4h 30m	4h 33m
Total cost (1 person)	$72	$126	$23	$18
Carbon footprint	67 kg CO₂	37 kg CO₂	7 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, 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.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Lowville, WI to Eau Claire, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.