Drive or Fly: Fitchburg, WI to Burlington, 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–MKE. At 80 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 54m

Distance

80.9 mi

Total Cost

$53

CO2

33 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$18

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 9m

8m in the air

Air Distance

64 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fitchburg, WI → MSN 21m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MKE → Burlington, WI 40m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Fitchburg, WI MSN — Dane County Regional Truax Field 14 mi, ~21m drive

Burlington, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 27 mi, ~40m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSN 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 49m

1h 49m on rail

Total Cost

$14

CO2

4 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fitchburg, WI → Columbus Amtrak Station 52m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 109m

Arrival 10m

Sturtevant Amtrak Station → Burlington, WI 28m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $14) $14

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

Stations

From Columbus Amtrak Station 35 mi, ~52m drive

To Sturtevant Amtrak Station 19 mi, ~28m 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

2h 36m

1h 20m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fitchburg, WI → Madison (Madison Campus WI) (MADI) 13m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 80m

Arrival 10m

Goerke's Corners Park & Ride (5WG) → Burlington, WI 38m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From MADI — Madison (Madison Campus WI) 8 mi, ~13m drive

To 5WG — Goerke's Corners Park & Ride 25 mi, ~38m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− 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 54m	3h 9m	3h 49m	2h 36m
Total cost (1 person)	$53	$123	$14	$7
Carbon footprint	33 kg CO₂	16 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	4 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 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

80.9 mi 1h 54m

via US 14, I 43, WI 11

Shortest (+3 min)

78.3 mi 1h 57m

via WI 59, CTH N, US 12

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