Drive or Fly: Marathon, 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 CWA–RFD. At 182 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 24m

Distance

182.6 mi

Total Cost

$76

CO2

74 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$41

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 30m

19m in the air

Air Distance

160 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

41 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Marathon, WI → CWA 20m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RFD → City of Janesville, WI 51m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Marathon, WI CWA — Central Wisconsin Airport 13 mi, ~20m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CWA 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 4m

1h 27m on rail

Total Cost

$17

CO2

5 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Marathon, WI → Tomah Amtrak Station 109m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 87m

Arrival 10m

Columbus Amtrak Station → City of Janesville, WI 68m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From Tomah Amtrak Station 73 mi, ~109m drive

To Columbus Amtrak Station 45 mi, ~68m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	3h 24m	3h 30m	5h 4m
Total cost (1 person)	$76	$126	$17
Carbon footprint	74 kg CO₂	41 kg CO₂	5 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 — 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 12, 2026.

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