Drive or Fly: Eau Claire, WI to Menomonee Falls, 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–MKE. At 242 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 33m

Distance

242 mi

Total Cost

$81

CO2

98 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$46

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 3m

24m in the air

Air Distance

202 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

52 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Eau Claire, WI → EAU 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 24m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MKE → Menomonee Falls, WI 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Menomonee Falls, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 20 mi, ~29m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between EAU 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

6h 17m

3h 56m on rail

Total Cost

$40

CO2

12 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Eau Claire, WI → Winona (WIN) 80m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 236m

Arrival 10m

Milwaukee (MKE) → Menomonee Falls, WI 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $40) $40

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

Stations

From WIN — Winona 53 mi, ~80m drive

To MKE — Milwaukee 14 mi, ~21m 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

5h 28m

4h 32m on road

Total Cost

$24

CO2

13 kg

Route

Greyhound US0150

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 272m

Arrival 10m

Milwaukee Intermodal Station (MKE6) → Menomonee Falls, WI 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $24) $24

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

Stations

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

To MKE6 — Milwaukee Intermodal Station 14 mi, ~21m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~26/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	4h 33m	3h 3m	6h 17m	5h 28m
Total cost (1 person)	$81	$183	$40	$24
Carbon footprint	98 kg CO₂	52 kg CO₂	12 kg CO₂	13 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 Jul 20, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

242 mi 4h 33m

via I 94, CTH F

Shortest (+8 min)

234.4 mi 4h 42m

via I 94, WI 33, WI 16

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