Drive or Fly: Waterford, WI to City of Janesville, 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 MKE–RFD. At 51 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 8m

Distance

51.3 mi

Total Cost

$46

CO2

21 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$11

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 27m

5m in the air

Air Distance

41 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

10 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Waterford, WI → MKE 31m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RFD → City of Janesville, WI 51m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Waterford, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 21 mi, ~31m drive

City of Janesville, WI RFD — Chicago Rockford International Airport 34 mi, ~51m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MKE and RFD. 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 59m

1h 47m on rail

Total Cost

$14

CO2

4 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Waterford, WI → Sturtevant Amtrak Station 24m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 107m

Arrival 10m

Columbus Amtrak Station → City of Janesville, WI 68m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $14) $14

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

Stations

From Sturtevant Amtrak Station 16 mi, ~24m drive

To Columbus Amtrak Station 45 mi, ~68m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	1h 8m	3h 27m	3h 59m
Total cost (1 person)	$46	$122	$14
Carbon footprint	21 kg CO₂	10 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 — 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 Waterford, WI to City of Janesville, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.