Drive or Fly: Saint Cloud, MN to Ada, 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 STC–FAR. At 190 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 48m

Distance

190.7 mi

Total Cost

$77

CO2

77 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$42

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 15m

20m in the air

Air Distance

164 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

42 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Cloud, MN → STC 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FAR → Ada, MN 45m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Saint Cloud, MN STC — Saint Cloud Regional Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

Ada, MN FAR — Hector International Airport 30 mi, ~45m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between STC and FAR. 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

4h 41m

3h 4m on rail

Total Cost

$31

CO2

9 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Cloud, MN → St. Cloud Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 184m

Arrival 10m

Fargo Amtrak Station → Ada, MN 47m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $31) $31

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

Stations

From St. Cloud Amtrak Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Fargo Amtrak Station 32 mi, ~47m 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	3h 48m	3h 15m	4h 41m
Total cost (1 person)	$77	$127	$31
Carbon footprint	77 kg CO₂	42 kg CO₂	9 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 Saint Cloud, MN to Ada, MN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.