Drive or Fly: Saint Paul, 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 MSP–RST. At 100 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 7m

Distance

100.7 mi

Total Cost

$57

CO2

41 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$22

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 47m

11m in the air

Air Distance

88 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

22 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Paul, MN → MSP 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RST → Chatfield, MN 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Saint Paul, MN MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 8 mi, ~12m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSP 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

3h 28m

1h 52m on rail

Total Cost

$19

CO2

5 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Paul, MN → St. Paul-Minneapolis 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 112m

Arrival 10m

Winona → Chatfield, MN 46m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From St. Paul-Minneapolis 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Winona 31 mi, ~46m 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

3h 42m

1h 15m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0150

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Paul, MN → Saint Paul Union Depot (STP6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 75m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From STP6 — Saint Paul Union Depot 0 mi, ~10m drive

To 5EU — Eau Claire (McDonald's) 75 mi, ~112m 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 7m	2h 47m	3h 28m	3h 42m
Total cost (1 person)	$57	$124	$19	$8
Carbon footprint	41 kg CO₂	22 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	4 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 Paul, MN to Chatfield, MN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.