Drive or Fly: Milwaukee, WI to Saint Croix Falls, 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–MSP. At 335 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

6h 26m

Distance

335.4 mi

Total Cost

$110

CO2

136 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$75

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 53m

34m in the air

Air Distance

286 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

73 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Milwaukee, WI → MKE 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 34m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSP → Saint Croix Falls, WI 69m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Saint Croix Falls, WI MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 46 mi, ~69m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 33m 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

7h 45m

5h 57m on rail

Total Cost

$58

CO2

17 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Milwaukee, WI → Milwaukee 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 357m

Arrival 10m

St. Paul-Minneapolis → Saint Croix Falls, WI 58m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $58) $58

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

Stations

From Milwaukee 1 mi, ~10m drive

To St. Paul-Minneapolis 39 mi, ~58m 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

7h 42m

6h 20m on road

Total Cost

$30

CO2

16 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 380m

Arrival 10m

Hudson (WI) (5HU) → Saint Croix Falls, WI 47m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $30) $30

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

Stations

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

To 5HU — Hudson (WI) 31 mi, ~47m 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	6h 26m	3h 53m	7h 45m	7h 42m
Total cost (1 person)	$110	$186	$58	$30
Carbon footprint	136 kg CO₂	73 kg CO₂	17 kg CO₂	16 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 13, 2026.

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