Drive or Fly: Spring Valley, WI to La Crosse, 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 GRB–LSE. At 209 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 49m

Distance

209.6 mi

Total Cost

$81

CO2

85 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$46

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 30m

20m in the air

Air Distance

170 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

43 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Spring Valley, WI → GRB 60m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LSE → La Crosse, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Spring Valley, WI GRB — Austin Straubel International Airport 40 mi, ~60m drive

La Crosse, WI LSE — La Crosse Regional Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between GRB and LSE. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 43m

3h 19m on rail

Total Cost

$35

CO2

10 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Spring Valley, WI → Milwaukee 94m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 199m

Arrival 10m

La Crosse → La Crosse, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $35) $35

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

Stations

From Milwaukee 63 mi, ~94m drive

To La Crosse 2 mi, ~10m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	3h 49m	3h 30m	5h 43m
Total cost (1 person)	$81	$182	$35
Carbon footprint	85 kg CO₂	43 kg CO₂	10 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 — 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.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Spring Valley, WI to La Crosse, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.