Drive or Fly: North La Crosse, WI to Wauwatosa, 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–MKE. At 203 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 45m

Distance

203.3 mi

Total Cost

$80

CO2

82 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$45

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 45m

21m in the air

Air Distance

172 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

44 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

North La Crosse, WI → LSE 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MKE → Wauwatosa, WI 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Wauwatosa, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LSE and MKE. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 25m

3h 25m on rail

Total Cost

$35

CO2

10 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

North La Crosse, WI → La Crosse 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 205m

Arrival 10m

Milwaukee → Wauwatosa, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $35) $35

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

Stations

From La Crosse 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Milwaukee 5 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 18m

2h 45m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

8 kg

Route

Greyhound US0150

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 165m

Arrival 10m

Milwaukee Intermodal Station (MKE6) → Wauwatosa, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

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

To MKE6 — Milwaukee Intermodal Station 5 mi, ~10m 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	3h 45m	2h 45m	4h 25m	4h 18m
Total cost (1 person)	$80	$182	$35	$16
Carbon footprint	82 kg CO₂	44 kg CO₂	10 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 Apr 21, 2026.

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