Drive or Fly: Racine, WI to New Richmond, 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 337 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 23m

Distance

337 mi

Total Cost

$109

CO2

136 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$74

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

35m in the air

Air Distance

289 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

74 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Racine, WI → MKE 24m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 35m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSP → New Richmond, WI 56m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Racine, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

New Richmond, WI MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 37 mi, ~56m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 28m 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

8h 8m

6h 34m on rail

Total Cost

$60

CO2

17 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Racine, WI → Sturtevant Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 394m

Arrival 10m

St. Paul-Minneapolis → New Richmond, WI 44m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $60) $60

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

Stations

From Sturtevant Amtrak Station 6 mi, ~10m drive

To St. Paul-Minneapolis 29 mi, ~44m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ Scenic views along the route

+ 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 56m

6h 45m on road

Total Cost

$30

CO2

16 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Racine, WI → Milwaukee Mitchell Airport (5MK) 25m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 405m

Arrival 10m

Hudson (WI) (5HU) → New Richmond, WI 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $30) $30

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

Stations

From 5MK — Milwaukee Mitchell Airport 16 mi, ~25m drive

To 5HU — Hudson (WI) 14 mi, ~21m 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 23m	3h 55m	8h 8m	7h 56m
Total cost (1 person)	$109	$187	$60	$30
Carbon footprint	136 kg CO₂	74 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

337 mi 6h 23m

via I 94, I 90; I 94, WI 32

Alternative (+24 min)

343 mi 6h 47m

via I 94, I 90; I 94, I 39; I 90

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