Drive or Fly: Plymouth, MN to Brainerd, 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 21m

Distance

117.7 mi

Total Cost

$61

CO2

48 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$26

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 44m

12m in the air

Air Distance

100 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

25 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Plymouth, MN → MSP 22m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BRD → Brainerd, MN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Plymouth, MN MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 15 mi, ~22m drive

Brainerd, MN BRD — Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport 5 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 48m

2h 57m on rail

Total Cost

$26

CO2

7 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Plymouth, MN → St. Paul-Minneapolis 28m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 177m

Arrival 10m

Staples Amtrak Station → Brainerd, MN 43m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From St. Paul-Minneapolis 19 mi, ~28m drive

To Staples Amtrak Station 28 mi, ~43m 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 17m

1h 15m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Plymouth, MN → Minneapolis Bus Station (MSD6) 14m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 75m

Arrival 10m

Saint Cloud (Metro Bus) (SCM6) → Brainerd, MN 83m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From MSD6 — Minneapolis Bus Station 9 mi, ~14m drive

To SCM6 — Saint Cloud (Metro Bus) 55 mi, ~83m 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	2h 21m	2h 44m	4h 48m	3h 17m
Total cost (1 person)	$61	$124	$26	$6
Carbon footprint	48 kg CO₂	25 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	3 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 16, 2026.

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