Drive or Fly: Saint Cloud, MN to Chatfield, 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–RST. At 176 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 33m

Distance

176.2 mi

Total Cost

$74

CO2

71 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$39

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

2h 52m

18m in the air

Air Distance

153 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

39 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Cloud, MN → STC 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RST → Chatfield, MN 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

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

Chatfield, MN RST — Rochester International Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between STC and RST. 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

5h 58m

4h 22m on rail

Total Cost

$32

CO2

9 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 30m

Train ride 262m

Arrival 10m

Winona → Chatfield, MN 46m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $32) $32

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

Stations

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

To Winona 31 mi, ~46m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 25m

1h 40m on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US0150S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Cloud, MN → Minneapolis Bus Station (MSD6) 88m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 100m

Arrival 10m

Eau Claire (McDonald's) (5EU) → Chatfield, MN 112m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From MSD6 — Minneapolis Bus Station 59 mi, ~88m drive

To 5EU — Eau Claire (McDonald's) 75 mi, ~112m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− 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	3h 33m	2h 52m	5h 58m	5h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$126	$32	$9
Carbon footprint	71 kg CO₂	39 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	5 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 13, 2026.

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