Drive or Fly: Pardeeville, WI to Leeds, 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 MSN–MSN. At 16 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

24m

Distance

16.1 mi

Total Cost

$39

CO2

7 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$4

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 1m

2m in the air

Air Distance

16 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pardeeville, WI → MSN 41m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSN → Leeds, WI 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Pardeeville, WI MSN — Dane County Regional Truax Field 28 mi, ~41m drive

Leeds, WI MSN — Dane County Regional Truax Field 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSN and MSN. 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

1h 45m

28m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pardeeville, WI → Portage 13m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 28m

Arrival 10m

Columbus Amtrak Station → Leeds, WI 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From Portage 8 mi, ~13m drive

To Columbus Amtrak Station 16 mi, ~24m 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

2h 29m

1h on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pardeeville, WI → Wisconsin Dells (McDonald's Commerce St) (WIS6) 39m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 60m

Arrival 10m

Madison (Madison Campus WI) (MADI) → Leeds, WI 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From WIS6 — Wisconsin Dells (McDonald's Commerce St) 26 mi, ~39m drive

To MADI — Madison (Madison Campus WI) 17 mi, ~25m 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	24m	3h 1m	1h 45m	2h 29m
Total cost (1 person)	$39	$121	$5	$5
Carbon footprint	7 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	2 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 12, 2026.

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