Drive or Fly: Alma, WI to West Allis, 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 RST–MKE. At 255 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 54m

Distance

255.1 mi

Total Cost

$97

CO2

103 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$62

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 38m

26m in the air

Air Distance

215 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

55 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alma, WI → RST 61m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 26m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MKE → West Allis, WI 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Alma, WI RST — Rochester International Airport 41 mi, ~61m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RST and MKE. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 21m

3h 56m on rail

Total Cost

$40

CO2

12 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alma, WI → Winona (WIN) 35m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 236m

Arrival 10m

Milwaukee (MKE) → West Allis, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $40) $40

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

Stations

From WIN — Winona 23 mi, ~35m drive

To MKE — Milwaukee 5 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 47m

5h 15m on road

Total Cost

$26

CO2

14 kg

Route

Greyhound US0150

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alma, WI → Menomonie, WI (MEN6) 57m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 315m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From MEN6 — Menomonie, WI 38 mi, ~57m drive

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

Service

Direct

Frequency

~10/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

− Limited schedule — about 10 trips per week

− 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	4h 54m	3h 38m	5h 21m	6h 47m
Total cost (1 person)	$97	$184	$40	$26
Carbon footprint	103 kg CO₂	55 kg CO₂	12 kg CO₂	14 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 Oct 17, 2026.

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