Drive or Fly: Lakeville, MN to Rochester, MN?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

At this distance, driving is almost always faster and cheaper door-to-door.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 34m

Distance

71.7 mi

Total Cost

$50

CO2

29 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$15

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 43m

7m in the air

Air Distance

58 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

15 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lakeville, MN → MSP 24m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RST → Rochester, MN 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Lakeville, MN MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 16 mi, ~24m drive

Rochester, MN RST — Rochester International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

100.0%

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

2h 58m

48m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lakeville, MN → St. Paul-Minneapolis 33m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 48m

Arrival 10m

Red Wing Amtrak Station → Rochester, MN 57m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From St. Paul-Minneapolis 22 mi, ~33m drive

To Red Wing Amtrak Station 38 mi, ~57m 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

1h on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0150

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lakeville, MN → Saint Paul Union Depot (STP6) 33m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 60m

Arrival 10m

Menomonie, WI (MEN6) → Rochester, MN 97m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From STP6 — Saint Paul Union Depot 22 mi, ~33m drive

To MEN6 — Menomonie, WI 65 mi, ~97m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 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 34m	2h 43m	2h 58m	3h 35m
Total cost (1 person)	$50	$122	$8	$6
Carbon footprint	29 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	100% on-time

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 3, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

71.7 mi 1h 33m

via US 52, MN 56, CH 86

Alternative (+8 min)

85.4 mi 1h 42m

via US 14; US 218; I 35 ALT, I 35, CR 9

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Lakeville, MN to Rochester, MN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.