Drive or Fly: Evansville, WI to Eau Claire, 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 MSN–EAU. At 204 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 50m

Distance

204 mi

Total Cost

$85

CO2

82 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$50

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 8m

21m in the air

Air Distance

178 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

45 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Evansville, WI → MSN 37m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

EAU → Eau Claire, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Evansville, WI MSN — Dane County Regional Truax Field 25 mi, ~37m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSN and EAU. 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

5h 41m

2h 39m on rail

Total Cost

$28

CO2

8 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Evansville, WI → Columbus Amtrak Station (CBS) 62m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 159m

Arrival 10m

Winona (WIN) → Eau Claire, WI 80m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

From CBS — Columbus Amtrak Station 41 mi, ~62m drive

To WIN — Winona 53 mi, ~80m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~12/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 12 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	3h 50m	3h 8m	5h 41m
Total cost (1 person)	$85	$182	$28
Carbon footprint	82 kg CO₂	45 kg CO₂	8 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 Oct 23, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

204 mi 3h 50m

via I 94, I 90; I 94, I 39; I 90

Shortest (+7 min)

199.2 mi 3h 57m

via I 94, I 90; I 94, US 12; WI 60

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