Drive or Fly: Lakeville, MN to Sylvan, 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

3h 8m

Distance

154.9 mi

Total Cost

$68

CO2

63 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$33

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 1m

16m in the air

Air Distance

129 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

33 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lakeville, MN → MSP 24m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BRD → Sylvan, MN 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

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

Sylvan, MN BRD — Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport 14 mi, ~21m 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

4h 38m

2h 57m on rail

Total Cost

$26

CO2

7 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lakeville, MN → St. Paul-Minneapolis 33m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 177m

Arrival 10m

Staples Amtrak Station → Sylvan, MN 28m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

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

To Staples Amtrak Station 19 mi, ~28m 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

4h 20m

2h on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 120m

Arrival 10m

Saint Cloud (Metro Bus) (SCM6) → Sylvan, MN 82m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

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

To SCM6 — Saint Cloud (Metro Bus) 55 mi, ~82m 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	3h 8m	3h 1m	4h 38m	4h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$68	$125	$26	$7
Carbon footprint	63 kg CO₂	33 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	4 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.

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