Drive or Fly: Marion, MN to Lakeville, 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 RST–MSP. At 75 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 35m

Distance

75 mi

Total Cost

$52

CO2

30 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 44m

8m in the air

Air Distance

66 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

17 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Marion, MN → RST 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSP → Lakeville, MN 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Marion, MN RST — Rochester International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

Lakeville, MN MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 16 mi, ~24m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RST 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

4h 3m

1h 56m on rail

Total Cost

$19

CO2

5 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Marion, MN → Winona 54m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 116m

Arrival 10m

St. Paul-Minneapolis → Lakeville, MN 33m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From Winona 36 mi, ~54m drive

To St. Paul-Minneapolis 22 mi, ~33m 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

4h 5m

1h 18m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Marion, MN → Eau Claire (McDonald's) (5EU) 109m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 78m

Arrival 10m

Saint Paul Union Depot (STP6) → Lakeville, MN 33m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From 5EU — Eau Claire (McDonald's) 72 mi, ~109m drive

To STP6 — Saint Paul Union Depot 22 mi, ~33m 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 35m	2h 44m	4h 3m	4h 5m
Total cost (1 person)	$52	$123	$19	$8
Carbon footprint	30 kg CO₂	17 kg CO₂	5 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

75 mi 1h 34m

via US 52, US 52; US 63, MN 50

Alternative (+16 min)

94.2 mi 1h 51m

via US 14, I 35, US 52

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Marion, MN to Lakeville, MN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.