Drive or Fly: Maple Grove, MN to Cannon Falls, MN?

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 MSP–MSP. At 60 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 14m

Distance

60.3 mi

Total Cost

$48

CO2

24 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$13

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 17m

6m in the air

Air Distance

47 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

12 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Maple Grove, MN → MSP 26m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSP → Cannon Falls, MN 45m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Maple Grove, MN MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 18 mi, ~26m drive

Cannon Falls, MN MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 30 mi, ~45m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSP and MSP. 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

2h 26m

48m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Maple Grove, MN → St. Paul-Minneapolis 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 48m

Arrival 10m

Red Wing Amtrak Station → Cannon Falls, MN 28m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From St. Paul-Minneapolis 20 mi, ~30m drive

To Red Wing Amtrak Station 19 mi, ~28m 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

1h 54m

25m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US0150

Door-to-Door Timeline

Maple Grove, MN → Minneapolis Bus Station (MSD6) 16m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 25m

Arrival 10m

Saint Paul Union Depot (STP6) → Cannon Falls, MN 48m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

From MSD6 — Minneapolis Bus Station 11 mi, ~16m drive

To STP6 — Saint Paul Union Depot 32 mi, ~48m 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 14m	3h 17m	2h 26m	1h 54m
Total cost (1 person)	$48	$122	$8	$1
Carbon footprint	24 kg CO₂	12 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	1 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Maple Grove, MN to Cannon Falls, MN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.