Drive or Fly: Madison, WI to New Berlin, 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–MKE. At 76 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 15m

Distance

76.6 mi

Total Cost

$52

CO2

31 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$17

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 34m

8m in the air

Air Distance

66 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

17 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Madison, WI → MSN 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MKE → New Berlin, WI 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

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

New Berlin, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSN 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 9m

1h 35m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

4 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Madison, WI → Columbus Amtrak Station 40m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 95m

Arrival 10m

General Mitchell Intl. Airport Amtrak Station → New Berlin, WI 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From Columbus Amtrak Station 27 mi, ~40m drive

To General Mitchell Intl. Airport Amtrak Station 10 mi, ~14m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 8m

1h 23m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 83m

Arrival 10m

Goerke's Corners Park & Ride (5WG) → New Berlin, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

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

To 5WG — Goerke's Corners Park & Ride 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	1h 15m	2h 34m	3h 9m	2h 8m
Total cost (1 person)	$52	$123	$12	$7
Carbon footprint	31 kg CO₂	17 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	4 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 13, 2026.

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