Drive or Fly: Maple Grove, MN to La Crescent, 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–LSE. At 174 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 27m

Distance

174.9 mi

Total Cost

$74

CO2

71 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$39

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 52m

16m in the air

Air Distance

137 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Maple Grove, MN → MSP 26m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LSE → La Crescent, MN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

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

La Crescent, MN LSE — La Crosse Regional Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSP and LSE. 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 48m

2h 28m on rail

Total Cost

$24

CO2

7 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 30m

Train ride 148m

Arrival 10m

La Crosse → La Crescent, MN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $24) $24

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

Stations

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

To La Crosse 3 mi, ~10m 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

5h 9m

3h 25m on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US0150

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 205m

Arrival 10m

Tomah (McDonald's) (TOM6) → La Crescent, MN 63m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

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

To TOM6 — Tomah (McDonald's) 42 mi, ~63m 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 27m	2h 52m	3h 48m	5h 9m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$125	$24	$17
Carbon footprint	71 kg CO₂	35 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	9 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

174.9 mi 3h 26m

via US 52, I 90, I 694

Shortest

159.7 mi 3h 26m

via US 61, US 14; US 61, US 10; US 61

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