Drive or Fly: Brainerd, MN to Plymouth, MN?

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 BRD–MSP. At 118 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 23m

Distance

118.2 mi

Total Cost

$61

CO2

48 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$26

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 44m

12m in the air

Air Distance

100 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

25 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Brainerd, MN → BRD 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSP → Plymouth, MN 22m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Brainerd, MN BRD — Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

Plymouth, MN MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 15 mi, ~22m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BRD and MSP. 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

4h 57m

3h 6m on rail

Total Cost

$26

CO2

7 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Brainerd, MN → Staples Amtrak Station 43m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 186m

Arrival 10m

St. Paul-Minneapolis → Plymouth, MN 28m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From Staples Amtrak Station 28 mi, ~43m drive

To St. Paul-Minneapolis 19 mi, ~28m 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

3h 17m

1h 15m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Brainerd, MN → Saint Cloud (Metro Bus) (SCM6) 83m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 75m

Arrival 10m

Minneapolis Bus Station (MSD6) → Plymouth, MN 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From SCM6 — Saint Cloud (Metro Bus) 55 mi, ~83m drive

To MSD6 — Minneapolis Bus Station 9 mi, ~14m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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 7 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	2h 23m	2h 44m	4h 57m	3h 17m
Total cost (1 person)	$61	$124	$26	$6
Carbon footprint	48 kg CO₂	25 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	3 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 21, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Brainerd, MN to Plymouth, MN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.