Drive or Fly: Saint Cloud, MN to Lake City, 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 137 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 54m

Distance

137.6 mi

Total Cost

$65

CO2

56 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$30

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 23m

14m in the air

Air Distance

120 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

31 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Cloud, MN → STC 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RST → Lake City, MN 59m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

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

Lake City, MN RST — Rochester International Airport 39 mi, ~59m 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

4h 25m

3h 12m on rail

Total Cost

$21

CO2

6 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 30m

Train ride 192m

Arrival 10m

Red Wing Amtrak Station → Lake City, MN 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

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

To Red Wing Amtrak Station 16 mi, ~23m 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

3h 56m

1h on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 60m

Arrival 10m

Hudson (WI) (5HU) → Lake City, MN 63m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

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

To 5HU — Hudson (WI) 42 mi, ~63m 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	2h 54m	3h 23m	4h 25m	3h 56m
Total cost (1 person)	$65	$125	$21	$3
Carbon footprint	56 kg CO₂	31 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	2 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

137.6 mi 2h 53m

via I 94, US 10; US 61, US 61; US 63

Alternative (+9 min)

146.3 mi 3h 3m

via I 94, US 10, US 61; US 63

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