Drive or Fly: Ixonia, 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 214 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 59m

Distance

214.9 mi

Total Cost

$87

CO2

87 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$52

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 28m

22m in the air

Air Distance

185 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

47 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ixonia, WI → MSN 56m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

EAU → Eau Claire, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Ixonia, WI MSN — Dane County Regional Truax Field 37 mi, ~56m 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 16m

2h 39m on rail

Total Cost

$28

CO2

8 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ixonia, WI → Columbus Amtrak Station (CBS) 37m

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 25 mi, ~37m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 7m

4h 39m on road

Total Cost

$24

CO2

13 kg

Route

Greyhound US0150

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ixonia, WI → Milwaukee Intermodal Station (MKE6) 53m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 279m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $24) $24

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

Stations

From MKE6 — Milwaukee Intermodal Station 35 mi, ~53m drive

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

Service

Direct

Frequency

~29/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	3h 59m	3h 28m	5h 16m	6h 7m
Total cost (1 person)	$87	$182	$28	$24
Carbon footprint	87 kg CO₂	47 kg CO₂	8 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 Oct 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

214.9 mi 3h 58m

via I 94, I 90; I 94, CTH F

Shortest (+13 min)

206.6 mi 4h 11m

via I 94, I 90; I 94, WI 16

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