Drive or Fly: City of Janesville, WI to Silver Lake, 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–ATW. At 123 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 27m

Distance

123.2 mi

Total Cost

$62

CO2

50 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$27

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 59m

11m in the air

Air Distance

95 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

24 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

City of Janesville, WI → RFD 51m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ATW → Silver Lake, WI 57m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

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

Silver Lake, WI ATW — Appleton International Airport 38 mi, ~57m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RFD and ATW. 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 11m

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 → Silver Lake, WI 56m

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 37 mi, ~56m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	2h 27m	3h 59m	3h 11m
Total cost (1 person)	$62	$124	$5
Carbon footprint	50 kg CO₂	24 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 — 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

123.2 mi 2h 26m

via I 39; I 90, I 39, WI 21

Shortest (+7 min)

112 mi 2h 34m

via WI 22, I 39; I 90, US 51; CTH CV

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