Drive or Fly: Montello, WI to North La Crosse, 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–LSE. At 105 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 11m

Distance

105.5 mi

Total Cost

$58

CO2

43 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$23

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 30m

12m in the air

Air Distance

96 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

25 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Montello, WI → MSN 68m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LSE → North La Crosse, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Montello, WI MSN — Dane County Regional Truax Field 45 mi, ~68m drive

North La Crosse, WI LSE — La Crosse Regional Airport 2 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSN and LSE. 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

2h 58m

1h 40m on rail

Total Cost

$18

CO2

5 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Montello, WI → Portage 28m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 100m

Arrival 10m

La Crosse → North La Crosse, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From Portage 18 mi, ~28m drive

To La Crosse 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 54m

48m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0150

Door-to-Door Timeline

Montello, WI → Wisconsin Dells (McDonald's Commerce St) (WIS6) 43m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 48m

Arrival 10m

Tomah (McDonald's) (TOM6) → North La Crosse, WI 58m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From WIS6 — Wisconsin Dells (McDonald's Commerce St) 28 mi, ~43m drive

To TOM6 — Tomah (McDonald's) 39 mi, ~58m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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	2h 11m	3h 30m	2h 58m	2h 54m
Total cost (1 person)	$58	$124	$18	$5
Carbon footprint	43 kg CO₂	25 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	3 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 Apr 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

105.5 mi 2h 10m

via I 90, WI 82, I 90; I 94

Alternative (+15 min)

120.4 mi 2h 26m

via I 90, I 90; I 94, WI 23

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