Drive or Fly: Menomonee Falls, WI to Alma, 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 MKE–RST. At 254 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 55m

Distance

254.3 mi

Total Cost

$91

CO2

103 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$56

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 55m

25m in the air

Air Distance

205 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

52 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Menomonee Falls, WI → MKE 29m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 25m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RST → Alma, WI 61m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Menomonee Falls, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 20 mi, ~29m drive

Alma, WI RST — Rochester International Airport 41 mi, ~61m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MKE and RST. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 25m

3h 49m on rail

Total Cost

$40

CO2

12 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Menomonee Falls, WI → Milwaukee 21m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 229m

Arrival 10m

Winona → Alma, WI 35m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $40) $40

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

Stations

From Milwaukee 14 mi, ~21m drive

To Winona 23 mi, ~35m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 39m

5h on road

Total Cost

$23

CO2

12 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Menomonee Falls, WI → Goerke's Corners Park & Ride (5WG) 15m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 300m

Arrival 10m

Eau Claire (McDonald's) (5EU) → Alma, WI 59m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From 5WG — Goerke's Corners Park & Ride 10 mi, ~15m drive

To 5EU — Eau Claire (McDonald's) 39 mi, ~59m 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	4h 55m	3h 55m	5h 25m	6h 39m
Total cost (1 person)	$91	$183	$40	$23
Carbon footprint	103 kg CO₂	52 kg CO₂	12 kg CO₂	12 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 Menomonee Falls, WI to Alma, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.