Drive or Fly: West Allis, WI to Saint Croix 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 330 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

6h 20m

Distance

330.3 mi

Total Cost

$108

CO2

133 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$73

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 54m

34m in the air

Air Distance

283 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

72 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Allis, WI → MKE 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 34m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSP → Saint Croix Falls, WI 69m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Saint Croix Falls, WI MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 46 mi, ~69m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 26m 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

7h 37m

5h 57m on rail

Total Cost

$58

CO2

19 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Allis, WI → Milwaukee 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 357m

Arrival 10m

St. Paul-Minneapolis → Saint Croix Falls, WI 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $58) $58

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

Stations

From Milwaukee 0 mi, ~30m drive

To St. Paul-Minneapolis 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ Scenic views along the route

+ 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

7h 45m

6h 20m on road

Total Cost

$30

CO2

19 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Allis, WI → Milwaukee Intermodal Station (MKE6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 380m

Arrival 10m

Hudson (WI) (5HU) → Saint Croix Falls, WI 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $30) $30

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

Stations

From MKE6 — Milwaukee Intermodal Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To 5HU — Hudson (WI) 0 mi, ~30m 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	6h 20m	3h 54m	7h 37m	7h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$108	$186	$58	$30
Carbon footprint	133 kg CO₂	72 kg CO₂	19 kg CO₂	19 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 West Allis, WI to Saint Croix Falls, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.