Drive or Fly: La Crosse, WI to Shorewood Hills, 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 LSE–MSN. At 138 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 54m

Distance

138.1 mi

Total Cost

$64

CO2

56 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$29

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 33m

12m in the air

Air Distance

103 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

26 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

La Crosse, WI → LSE 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSN → Shorewood Hills, WI 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

La Crosse, WI LSE — La Crosse Regional Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

Shorewood Hills, WI MSN — Dane County Regional Truax Field 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LSE 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

3h 46m

2h 6m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

8 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

La Crosse, WI → La Crosse 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 126m

Arrival 10m

Columbus Amtrak Station → Shorewood Hills, WI 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From La Crosse 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Columbus Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m 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

3h 35m

2h 10m on road

Total Cost

CO2

8 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

La Crosse, WI → Tomah (McDonald's) (TOM6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 130m

Arrival 10m

Madison (Madison Campus WI) (MADI) → Shorewood Hills, WI 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From TOM6 — Tomah (McDonald's) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To MADI — Madison (Madison Campus WI) 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/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 6 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	2h 54m	2h 33m	3h 46m	3h 35m
Total cost (1 person)	$64	$124	$23	$9
Carbon footprint	56 kg CO₂	26 kg CO₂	8 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, 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 Jun 4, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

138.1 mi 2h 54m

via I 90, US 12, US 12; WI 78

Alternative (+3 min)

147.5 mi 2h 57m

via I 90, WI 16, CTH M

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from La Crosse, WI to Shorewood Hills, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.