Drive or Fly: West Allis, WI to Baraboo, 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 111 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 12m

Distance

111.9 mi

Total Cost

$60

CO2

45 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$25

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 8m

11m in the air

Air Distance

93 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

24 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Allis, WI → MKE 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSN → Baraboo, WI 46m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

West Allis, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

Baraboo, WI MSN — Dane County Regional Truax Field 31 mi, ~46m 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 5m

1h 59m on rail

Total Cost

$20

CO2

6 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Allis, WI → Milwaukee 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 119m

Arrival 10m

Wisconsin Dells Amtrak Station → Baraboo, WI 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From Milwaukee 5 mi, ~10m drive

To Wisconsin Dells Amtrak Station 11 mi, ~16m 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 51m

2h 3m on road

Total Cost

$11

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US0150

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Allis, WI → Milwaukee Intermodal Station (MKE6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 123m

Arrival 10m

Wisconsin Dells (McDonald's Commerce St) (WIS6) → Baraboo, WI 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

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

To WIS6 — Wisconsin Dells (McDonald's Commerce St) 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	2h 12m	3h 8m	3h 5m	2h 51m
Total cost (1 person)	$60	$124	$20	$11
Carbon footprint	45 kg CO₂	24 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	6 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from West Allis, WI to Baraboo, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.