Drive or Fly: City of Janesville, WI to Mount Horeb, 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 RFD–MSN. At 52 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 17m

Distance

52.2 mi

Total Cost

$47

CO2

21 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$12

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

5m in the air

Air Distance

43 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

City of Janesville, WI → RFD 51m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSN → Mount Horeb, WI 33m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

City of Janesville, WI RFD — Chicago Rockford International Airport 34 mi, ~51m drive

Mount Horeb, WI MSN — Dane County Regional Truax Field 22 mi, ~33m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RFD 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 14m

27m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

City of Janesville, WI → Columbus Amtrak Station 68m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 27m

Arrival 10m

Portage → Mount Horeb, WI 59m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From Columbus Amtrak Station 45 mi, ~68m drive

To Portage 40 mi, ~59m 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

1h 52m

50m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

FlixBus 2514

Door-to-Door Timeline

City of Janesville, WI → Janesville (Park and Ride) (5JV) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 50m

Arrival 10m

Madison (Madison Campus WI) (MADI) → Mount Horeb, WI 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From 5JV — Janesville (Park and Ride) 2 mi, ~10m drive

To MADI — Madison (Madison Campus WI) 18 mi, ~27m 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	1h 17m	3h 29m	3h 14m	1h 52m
Total cost (1 person)	$47	$122	$5	$4
Carbon footprint	21 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	2 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 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

52.2 mi 1h 16m

via US 14; CTH F, US 18; US 151, US 14

Alternative (+1 min)

59.9 mi 1h 17m

via I 39; I 90, US 18; US 151, US 12; US 18

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from City of Janesville, WI to Mount Horeb, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.