Drive or Fly: Maple Grove, MN to Mantorville, 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

2h 3m

Distance

96.1 mi

Total Cost

$56

CO2

39 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$21

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

9m in the air

Air Distance

77 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

20 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Maple Grove, MN → MSP 26m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RST → Mantorville, MN 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Maple Grove, MN MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 18 mi, ~26m drive

Mantorville, MN RST — Rochester International Airport 17 mi, ~25m 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 52m

48m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Maple Grove, MN → St. Paul-Minneapolis 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 48m

Arrival 10m

Red Wing Amtrak Station → Mantorville, MN 54m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From St. Paul-Minneapolis 20 mi, ~30m drive

To Red Wing Amtrak Station 36 mi, ~54m 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 14m

1h on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Maple Grove, MN → Minneapolis Bus Station (MSD6) 16m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 60m

Arrival 10m

Hudson (WI) (5HU) → Mantorville, MN 93m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From MSD6 — Minneapolis Bus Station 11 mi, ~16m drive

To 5HU — Hudson (WI) 62 mi, ~93m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~9/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 9 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 3m	3h	2h 52m	3h 14m
Total cost (1 person)	$56	$123	$8	$3
Carbon footprint	39 kg CO₂	20 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	2 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 May 15, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

96.1 mi 2h 2m

via US 52, MN 57, I 694

Shortest (+0 min)

94.7 mi 2h 3m

via US 52, MN 57, MN 62

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