Drive or Fly: Rice Lake, MN to Saint Paul, 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 TVF–MSP. At 254 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 26m

Distance

254.8 mi

Total Cost

$92

CO2

103 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$57

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

4h 1m

25m in the air

Air Distance

205 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

52 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rice Lake, MN → TVF 84m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 25m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSP → Saint Paul, MN 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Rice Lake, MN TVF — Thief River Falls Regional Airport 56 mi, ~84m drive

Saint Paul, MN MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TVF 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 46m

4h 6m on rail

Total Cost

$37

CO2

15 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rice Lake, MN → Detroit Lakes Amtrak Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 246m

Arrival 10m

St. Paul-Minneapolis → Saint Paul, MN 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $37) $37

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

Stations

From Detroit Lakes Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To St. Paul-Minneapolis 0 mi, ~30m 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	5h 26m	4h 1m	5h 46m
Total cost (1 person)	$92	$183	$37
Carbon footprint	103 kg CO₂	52 kg CO₂	15 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Rice Lake, MN to Saint Paul, MN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.