Drive or Fly: Star Prairie, WI to Eau Claire, 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–EAU. At 72 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 34m

Distance

72.8 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

3h 17m

7m in the air

Air Distance

57 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

15 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Star Prairie, WI → MSP 60m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

EAU → Eau Claire, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Star Prairie, WI MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 40 mi, ~60m drive

Eau Claire, WI EAU — Chippewa Valley Regional Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSP and EAU. 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 40m

1h 52m on rail

Total Cost

$19

CO2

5 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Star Prairie, WI → St. Paul-Minneapolis 48m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 112m

Arrival 10m

Winona → Eau Claire, WI 80m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From St. Paul-Minneapolis 32 mi, ~48m drive

To Winona 53 mi, ~80m 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

2h 3m

1h on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Star Prairie, WI → Hudson (WI) (5HU) 28m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 60m

Arrival 10m

Eau Claire (McDonald's) (5EU) → Eau Claire, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From 5HU — Hudson (WI) 19 mi, ~28m drive

To 5EU — Eau Claire (McDonald's) 5 mi, ~10m 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 34m	3h 17m	4h 40m	2h 3m
Total cost (1 person)	$51	$122	$19	$6
Carbon footprint	29 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	3 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 Star Prairie, WI to Eau Claire, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.