Drive or Fly: Eau Claire, WI to Sauk City, 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–MSN. At 151 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 53m

Distance

151.7 mi

Total Cost

$68

CO2

61 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$33

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 59m

17m in the air

Air Distance

138 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Eau Claire, WI → EAU 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSN → Sauk City, WI 32m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

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

Sauk City, WI MSN — Dane County Regional Truax Field 21 mi, ~32m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between EAU 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

4h 48m

2h 14m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Eau Claire, WI → Winona 80m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 134m

Arrival 10m

Portage → Sauk City, WI 34m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From Winona 53 mi, ~80m drive

To Portage 23 mi, ~34m 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

4h 32m

3h 25m on road

Total Cost

$18

CO2

10 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 205m

Arrival 10m

Madison (Madison Campus WI) (MADI) → Sauk City, WI 32m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

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

To MADI — Madison (Madison Campus WI) 21 mi, ~32m 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	2h 53m	2h 59m	4h 48m	4h 32m
Total cost (1 person)	$68	$126	$23	$18
Carbon footprint	61 kg CO₂	35 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	10 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.

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