Drive or Fly: Wauwatosa, WI to Bergen, 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 66 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 21m

Distance

66.3 mi

Total Cost

$50

CO2

27 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$15
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 57m

7m in the air

Air Distance

58 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

15 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wauwatosa, WI → MKE 14m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 7m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
RFD → Bergen, WI 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Wauwatosa, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive
Bergen, WI RFD — Chicago Rockford International Airport 24 mi, ~36m 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

2h 30m

23m on rail

Total Cost

$4

CO2

1 kg

Route

Hiawatha Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wauwatosa, WI → Milwaukee 10m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 23m
Arrival 10m
Sturtevant Amtrak Station → Bergen, WI 77m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From Milwaukee 5 mi, ~10m drive
To Sturtevant Amtrak Station 51 mi, ~77m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/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 6 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 21m 2h 57m 2h 30m
Total cost (1 person) $50 $122 $4
Carbon footprint 27 kg CO2 15 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 — 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 Wauwatosa, WI to Bergen, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.