Drive or Fly: Park Rapids, MN to Bloomington, 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 BRD–MSP. At 197 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 3m

Distance

197.4 mi

Total Cost

$79

CO2

80 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$44

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 55m

20m in the air

Air Distance

167 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

43 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Park Rapids, MN → BRD 85m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSP → Bloomington, MN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Park Rapids, MN BRD — Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport 57 mi, ~85m drive

Bloomington, MN MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BRD and MSP. 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

6h 2m

4h 6m on rail

Total Cost

$37

CO2

11 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Park Rapids, MN → Detroit Lakes Amtrak Station 57m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 246m

Arrival 10m

St. Paul-Minneapolis → Bloomington, MN 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $37) $37

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

Stations

From Detroit Lakes Amtrak Station 38 mi, ~57m drive

To St. Paul-Minneapolis 13 mi, ~19m 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	4h 3m	3h 55m	6h 2m
Total cost (1 person)	$79	$127	$37
Carbon footprint	80 kg CO₂	43 kg CO₂	11 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 Park Rapids, MN to Bloomington, MN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.