Drive or Fly: River Falls, WI to Franklin, 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 MSP–MKE. At 310 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 48m

Distance

310.4 mi

Total Cost

$104

CO2

125 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$69

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 28m

32m in the air

Air Distance

266 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

68 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

River Falls, WI → MSP 44m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 32m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MKE → Franklin, WI 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

River Falls, WI MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 29 mi, ~44m drive

Franklin, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 20m 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

6h 42m

5h 21m on rail

Total Cost

$51

CO2

15 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

River Falls, WI → Red Wing Amtrak Station 31m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 321m

Arrival 10m

General Mitchell Intl. Airport Amtrak Station → Franklin, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $51) $51

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

Stations

From Red Wing Amtrak Station 21 mi, ~31m drive

To General Mitchell Intl. Airport Amtrak Station 7 mi, ~10m 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

7h 38m

6h 48m on road

Total Cost

$30

CO2

16 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

River Falls, WI → Hudson (WI) (5HU) 13m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 408m

Arrival 10m

Milwaukee Mitchell Airport (5MK) → Franklin, WI 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $30) $30

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

Stations

From 5HU — Hudson (WI) 9 mi, ~13m drive

To 5MK — Milwaukee Mitchell Airport 8 mi, ~12m 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	5h 48m	3h 28m	6h 42m	7h 38m
Total cost (1 person)	$104	$186	$51	$30
Carbon footprint	125 kg CO₂	68 kg CO₂	15 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 15, 2026.

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