Drive or Fly: New Holstein, WI to Milwaukee, 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 ATW–MKE. At 68 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 35m

Distance

68.7 mi

Total Cost

$50

CO2

28 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$15

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 3m

8m in the air

Air Distance

64 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Holstein, WI → ATW 45m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MKE → Milwaukee, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

New Holstein, WI ATW — Appleton International Airport 30 mi, ~45m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ATW and MKE. 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 34m

1h 10m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

3 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Holstein, WI → Columbus Amtrak Station 94m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 70m

Arrival 10m

Milwaukee → Milwaukee, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From Columbus Amtrak Station 63 mi, ~94m drive

To Milwaukee 1 mi, ~10m 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

2h 47m

1h 40m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0150S

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Holstein, WI → Manitowoc (Shell) (MTT6) 32m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 100m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From MTT6 — Manitowoc (Shell) 21 mi, ~32m drive

To MKE6 — Milwaukee Intermodal Station 1 mi, ~10m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 35m	3h 3m	3h 34m	2h 47m
Total cost (1 person)	$50	$123	$12	$8
Carbon footprint	28 kg CO₂	16 kg CO₂	3 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, 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.

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