Drive or Fly: Wauwatosa, WI to Cross Plains, 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–MSN. At 94 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 56m

Distance

94.3 mi

Total Cost

$56

CO2

38 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$21

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 48m

10m in the air

Air Distance

83 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

21 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wauwatosa, WI → MKE 14m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSN → Cross Plains, WI 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Wauwatosa, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive

Cross Plains, WI MSN — Dane County Regional Truax Field 16 mi, ~24m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MKE and MSN. 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 14m

1h 37m on rail

Total Cost

$17

CO2

5 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wauwatosa, WI → Milwaukee 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 97m

Arrival 10m

Portage → Cross Plains, WI 47m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From Milwaukee 5 mi, ~10m drive

To Portage 31 mi, ~47m 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 40m

1h 45m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wauwatosa, WI → Milwaukee Intermodal Station (MKE6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 105m

Arrival 10m

Madison (Madison Campus WI) (MADI) → Cross Plains, WI 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From MKE6 — Milwaukee Intermodal Station 5 mi, ~10m drive

To MADI — Madison (Madison Campus WI) 13 mi, ~20m 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 56m	2h 48m	3h 14m	2h 40m
Total cost (1 person)	$56	$123	$17	$8
Carbon footprint	38 kg CO₂	21 kg CO₂	5 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, 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 Wauwatosa, WI to Cross Plains, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.