Drive or Fly: Pine River, MN to Eagan, 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 29m

Distance

171 mi

Total Cost

$75

CO2

69 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$40

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 5m

17m in the air

Air Distance

145 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pine River, MN → BRD 38m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSP → Eagan, MN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Pine River, MN BRD — Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport 25 mi, ~38m drive

Eagan, MN MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 6 mi, ~10m 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 49m

3h 6m on rail

Total Cost

$26

CO2

7 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pine River, MN → Staples Amtrak Station (SPL) 47m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 186m

Arrival 10m

St. Paul-Minneapolis (MSP) → Eagan, MN 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From SPL — Staples Amtrak Station 31 mi, ~47m drive

To MSP — St. Paul-Minneapolis 11 mi, ~16m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~10/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 10 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	3h 29m	3h 5m	4h 49m
Total cost (1 person)	$75	$126	$26
Carbon footprint	69 kg CO₂	37 kg CO₂	7 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 — 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 Sep 12, 2026.

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