Drive or Fly: Eau Claire, WI to Ellsworth, 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 EAU–MSP. At 66 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 25m

Distance

66 mi

Total Cost

$50

CO2

27 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$15

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 12m

6m in the air

Air Distance

49 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

12 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Eau Claire, WI → EAU 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSP → Ellsworth, WI 56m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Eau Claire, WI EAU — Chippewa Valley Regional Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Ellsworth, WI MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 37 mi, ~56m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between EAU 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

3h 20m

1h 2m on rail

Total Cost

$11

CO2

3 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Eau Claire, WI → Winona 80m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 62m

Arrival 10m

Red Wing Amtrak Station → Ellsworth, WI 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From Winona 53 mi, ~80m drive

To Red Wing Amtrak Station 12 mi, ~18m 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

55m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Eau Claire, WI → Eau Claire (McDonald's) (5EU) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 55m

Arrival 10m

Hudson (WI) (5HU) → Ellsworth, WI 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From 5EU — Eau Claire (McDonald's) 5 mi, ~10m drive

To 5HU — Hudson (WI) 20 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	1h 25m	3h 12m	3h 20m	2h
Total cost (1 person)	$50	$122	$11	$6
Carbon footprint	27 kg CO₂	12 kg CO₂	3 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 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

66 mi 1h 25m

via I 94, US 63, WI 312

Shortest (+6 min)

60.1 mi 1h 31m

via US 10; WI 25, WI 85, WI 37

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Eau Claire, WI to Ellsworth, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.