Drive or Fly: Wauwatosa, WI to River Falls, 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–MSP. At 303 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 37m

Distance

303.7 mi

Total Cost

$102

CO2

123 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$67

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 29m

31m in the air

Air Distance

261 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

67 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wauwatosa, WI → MKE 14m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 31m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSP → River Falls, WI 44m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

River Falls, WI MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 29 mi, ~44m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MKE and MSP. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 8m compared to driving

+ 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

6h 18m

4h 57m on rail

Total Cost

$51

CO2

15 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wauwatosa, WI → Milwaukee 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 297m

Arrival 10m

Red Wing Amtrak Station → River Falls, WI 31m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $51) $51

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

Stations

From Milwaukee 5 mi, ~10m drive

To Red Wing Amtrak Station 21 mi, ~31m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

7h 8m

6h 20m on road

Total Cost

$30

CO2

16 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 380m

Arrival 10m

Hudson (WI) (5HU) → River Falls, WI 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $30) $30

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

Stations

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

To 5HU — Hudson (WI) 9 mi, ~13m 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	5h 37m	3h 29m	6h 18m	7h 8m
Total cost (1 person)	$102	$185	$51	$30
Carbon footprint	123 kg CO₂	67 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂	16 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 Wauwatosa, WI to River Falls, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.