Drive or Fly: Madison, WI to City of Janesville, 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–RFD. At 40 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

55m

Distance

40.1 mi

Total Cost

$44

CO2

16 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$9

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 5m

4m in the air

Air Distance

33 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

8 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Madison, WI → MSN 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RFD → City of Janesville, WI 51m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Madison, WI MSN — Dane County Regional Truax Field 6 mi, ~10m drive

City of Janesville, WI RFD — Chicago Rockford International Airport 34 mi, ~51m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSN and RFD. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 35m

50m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

FlixBus 2514

Door-to-Door Timeline

Madison, WI → Madison (Madison Campus WI) (MADI) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 50m

Arrival 10m

Janesville (Park and Ride) (5JV) → City of Janesville, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From MADI — Madison (Madison Campus WI) 0 mi, ~10m drive

To 5JV — Janesville (Park and Ride) 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	55m	3h 5m	1h 35m
Total cost (1 person)	$44	$121	$4
Carbon footprint	16 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	2 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: 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Madison, WI to City of Janesville, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.