Drive or Fly: River Falls, WI to Kenosha, 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 345 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 24m

Distance

345 mi

Total Cost

$111

CO2

139 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$76

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 56m

34m in the air

Air Distance

287 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

73 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

River Falls, WI → MSP 44m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 34m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MKE → Kenosha, WI 38m

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

Kenosha, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 25 mi, ~38m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSP and MKE. 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

7h 1m

5h 35m on rail

Total Cost

$53

CO2

15 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

River Falls, WI → Red Wing Amtrak Station 31m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 335m

Arrival 10m

Sturtevant Amtrak Station → Kenosha, WI 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $53) $53

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

Stations

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

To Sturtevant Amtrak Station 10 mi, ~15m 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

8h 4m

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) → Kenosha, WI 38m

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 25 mi, ~38m 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 24m	3h 56m	7h 1m	8h 4m
Total cost (1 person)	$111	$186	$53	$30
Carbon footprint	139 kg CO₂	73 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 Kenosha, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.