Drive or Fly: Saint Paul, MN to Milaca, 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–STC. At 72 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 27m

Distance

72.2 mi

Total Cost

$51

CO2

29 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$16

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 55m

7m in the air

Air Distance

62 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Paul, MN → MSP 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

STC → Milaca, MN 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

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

Milaca, MN STC — Saint Cloud Regional Airport 24 mi, ~36m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSP and STC. 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 27m

1h 56m on rail

Total Cost

$13

CO2

4 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 30m

Train ride 116m

Arrival 10m

St. Cloud Amtrak Station → Milaca, MN 41m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

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

To St. Cloud Amtrak Station 27 mi, ~41m 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

2h 28m

28m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 28m

Arrival 10m

Minneapolis Bus Station (MSD6) → Milaca, MN 85m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

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

To MSD6 — Minneapolis Bus Station 57 mi, ~85m 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	1h 27m	2h 55m	3h 27m	2h 28m
Total cost (1 person)	$51	$122	$13	$1
Carbon footprint	29 kg CO₂	16 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	1 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 12, 2026.

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