Drive or Fly: Menomonee Falls, WI to Lind, 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–STC. At 368 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 16m

Distance

368.1 mi

Total Cost

$116

CO2

149 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$81

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

4h 38m

35m in the air

Air Distance

291 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

74 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Menomonee Falls, WI → MKE 29m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 35m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

STC → Lind, WI 94m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Lind, WI STC — Saint Cloud Regional Airport 63 mi, ~94m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MKE and STC. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 38m compared to driving

+ 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

8h 23m

5h 57m on rail

Total Cost

$58

CO2

17 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Menomonee Falls, WI → Milwaukee 21m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 357m

Arrival 10m

St. Paul-Minneapolis → Lind, WI 85m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $58) $58

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

Stations

From Milwaukee 14 mi, ~21m drive

To St. Paul-Minneapolis 57 mi, ~85m 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

8h 1m

6h on road

Total Cost

$29

CO2

15 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 360m

Arrival 10m

Hudson (WI) (5HU) → Lind, WI 81m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $29) $29

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

Stations

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

To 5HU — Hudson (WI) 54 mi, ~81m 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	7h 16m	4h 38m	8h 23m	8h 1m
Total cost (1 person)	$116	$187	$58	$29
Carbon footprint	149 kg CO₂	74 kg CO₂	17 kg CO₂	15 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

368.1 mi 7h 16m

via I 94, US 53, I 90; I 94

Shortest (+9 min)

361.2 mi 7h 25m

via US 53, I 94, I 90; I 94

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Menomonee Falls, WI to Lind, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.