Drive or Fly: Milwaukee, WI to Pine River, 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–CWA. At 201 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 59m

Distance

201.7 mi

Total Cost

$80

CO2

81 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$45

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 7m

20m in the air

Air Distance

168 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

43 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Milwaukee, WI → MKE 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CWA → Pine River, WI 37m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Milwaukee, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

Pine River, WI CWA — Central Wisconsin Airport 25 mi, ~37m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MKE and CWA. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 33m

4h 40m on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US0150S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Milwaukee, WI → Milwaukee Intermodal Station (MKE6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 280m

Arrival 10m

Wausau Transit Center (WAU6) → Pine River, WI 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From MKE6 — Milwaukee Intermodal Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To WAU6 — Wausau Transit Center 12 mi, ~18m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 59m	3h 7m	5h 33m
Total cost (1 person)	$80	$182	$17
Carbon footprint	81 kg CO₂	43 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: 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

201.7 mi 3h 59m

via I 41; US 41, US 10, I 39; US 51

Alternative (+13 min)

223.6 mi 4h 12m

via I 39, I 94, I 794

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Milwaukee, WI to Pine River, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.