Drive or Fly: Minneapolis, MN to Royalton, 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 MSP–STC. At 85 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 44m

Distance

85.1 mi

Total Cost

$54

CO2

34 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$19

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 54m

9m in the air

Air Distance

77 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

20 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Minneapolis, MN → MSP 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

STC → Royalton, MN 34m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Minneapolis, MN MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 7 mi, ~11m drive

Royalton, MN STC — Saint Cloud Regional Airport 23 mi, ~34m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSP and STC. 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

3h 19m

1h 56m on rail

Total Cost

$13

CO2

4 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Minneapolis, MN → St. Paul-Minneapolis 14m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 116m

Arrival 10m

St. Cloud Amtrak Station → Royalton, MN 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From St. Paul-Minneapolis 9 mi, ~14m drive

To St. Cloud Amtrak Station 19 mi, ~29m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	1h 44m	2h 54m	3h 19m
Total cost (1 person)	$54	$123	$13
Carbon footprint	34 kg CO₂	20 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 — 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 Minneapolis, MN to Royalton, MN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.