Drive or Fly: Saint Croix Falls, WI to Menomonee Falls, 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 331 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 29m

Distance

331.6 mi

Total Cost

$108

CO2

134 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$73

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

4h 11m

33m in the air

Air Distance

272 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

69 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Croix Falls, WI → MSP 69m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 33m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MKE → Menomonee Falls, WI 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Saint Croix Falls, WI MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 46 mi, ~69m drive

Menomonee Falls, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 20 mi, ~29m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 18m 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

7h 52m

5h 53m on rail

Total Cost

$58

CO2

17 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Croix Falls, WI → St. Paul-Minneapolis 58m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 353m

Arrival 10m

Milwaukee → Menomonee Falls, WI 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $58) $58

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

Stations

From St. Paul-Minneapolis 39 mi, ~58m drive

To Milwaukee 14 mi, ~21m 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 30m

6h 3m on road

Total Cost

$29

CO2

15 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Croix Falls, WI → Hudson (WI) (5HU) 47m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 363m

Arrival 10m

Goerke's Corners Park & Ride (5WG) → Menomonee Falls, WI 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $29) $29

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

Stations

From 5HU — Hudson (WI) 31 mi, ~47m drive

To 5WG — Goerke's Corners Park & Ride 10 mi, ~15m 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	6h 29m	4h 11m	7h 52m	7h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$108	$186	$58	$29
Carbon footprint	134 kg CO₂	69 kg CO₂	17 kg CO₂	15 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

331.6 mi 6h 28m

via I 94, US 53, US 8

Shortest (+8 min)

323.9 mi 6h 37m

via I 94, US 53, WI 33

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