How far is Dearborn Heights, MI from Royal Oak, MI?

The driving distance from Dearborn Heights, MI to Royal Oak, MI is about 18.2 miles (29.3 km), with a travel time of about 00h 31m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 12.4 miles (20 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 03m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
18.22 mi
00h 31m
Flight
12.41 mi
19.98 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Dearborn Heights.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
12.41 mi
Kilometers
19.98 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
18.22 mi
Kilometers
29.33 km
Drive Time
00h 31m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 00h 31m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Royal Oak
Sat, Apr 11, 9:37 AM EDT
Return by in Dearborn Heights
Sat, Apr 11, 10:08 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Dearborn Heights
2026-04-11T09:05
Arrive Royal Oak
Sat, Apr 11, 9:37 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 31m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:32 AM to 7:32 PM EDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:26 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Dearborn Heights
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Oak Park
MI

City in Oakland County, Michigan, United States

From Dearborn Heights
9.1 mi
00h 15m
To Royal Oak
9.1 mi
00h 15m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
55°F
Saturday

Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 11 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 mph E
Destination
55°F
Saturday

Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 11 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 mph ENE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Dearborn Heights and Royal Oak.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Dearborn Heights and Royal Oak.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    123 m · 16 sec

  2. 2

    Turn left onto North Telegraph Road

    3.1 mi · 5 min · North Telegraph Road

  3. 3

    Keep slight right to continue on Telegraph Drive

    1282 ft · 28 sec · Telegraph Drive

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Schoolcraft Road

    72 m · 6 sec · Schoolcraft Road

  5. 5

    Take the ramp straight toward I 96 East

    1547 ft · 19 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Jeffries Freeway

    1 km · 41 sec · Jeffries Freeway

  7. 7

    Keep slight right to continue on Jeffries Freeway (Local)

    1.9 mi · 3 min · Jeffries Freeway (Local)

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward M 39: Southfield Freeway

    1153 ft · 33 sec

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on M 39 North: Southfield Freeway

    2579 ft · 1 min

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto Southfield Freeway

    5.1 mi · 7 min · Southfield Freeway

  11. 11

    Keep slight right to continue on Southfield Road

    1709 ft · 29 sec

  12. 12

    Turn straight onto Southfield Road

    1.2 km · 1 min · Southfield Road

  13. 13

    Turn right onto West 10 Mile Road

    4 mi · 8 min · West 10 Mile Road

  14. 14

    Turn left onto South Main Street

    1.6 km · 3 min · South Main Street

  15. 15

    Turn left onto West 2nd Street

    51 m · 9 sec · West 2nd Street

  16. 16

    Turn right

    56 m · 14 sec

  17. 17

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Dearborn Heights and Royal Oak.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
17 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
2 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
93.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Southfield Freeway
5.11 mi · 28%
West 10 Mile Road
3.97 mi · 22%
North Telegraph Road
3.13 mi · 17%
Jeffries Freeway (Local)
1.9 mi · 10%
Southfield Road
1.07 mi · 6%
South Main Street
0.98 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

Southfield Freeway

Merge slight left onto Southfield Freeway

5.11 mi · 00h 07m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 31m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 04m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+5.8 mi
12.4 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Oak Park
00h 15m from Dearborn Heights
Leave By
7:26 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Dearborn Heights and Sunny near Royal Oak.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Dearborn Heights to Royal Oak?

The road trip is about 18.2 miles (29.3 km) and usually takes 00h 31m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Oak Park is a useful midpoint, sitting about 9.1 miles from Dearborn Heights and 9.1 miles from Royal Oak.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 12.4 miles (20 km), while the road route adds roughly 5.8 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:26 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.41 one way or $4.83 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 5.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Dearborn Heights and Sunny near Royal Oak.

Stop Ideas Near Oak Park

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Oak Park, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Oak Park.

RAIL

Royal Oak station

4 mi away
202 South Sherman Ave.
RAIL

Troy Transit Center

9 mi away
1201 Doyle Drive
RAIL

Birmingham, Michigan

10 mi away
449 South Eton St.
RAIL

Detroit

14 mi away
11 West Baltimore Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Dearborn Heights and Royal Oak. Straight-line distance: 12.41 mi (19.98 km).

Dearborn Heights

#1 Dearborn Heights

A city in Wayne County, Michigan.

Population55,027
Coordinates42.3369800, -83.2732600
Altitude189
CountryUnited States
Royal Oak

#2 Royal Oak

The most populous city in Oakland County, Michigan.

Population58,963
Coordinates42.4894800, -83.1446500
Altitude202
CountryUnited States
Start: Dearborn Heights (-83.27326, 42.33698)
End: Royal Oak (-83.14465, 42.48948)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 29 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 36m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 27m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 21m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 18m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 15m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 13m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.64 gal
2.43 L · about $2.41
Round trip
$4.83
1.28 gal · 4.86 L
Estimated CO2
5.7 kg one way
Round trip: 11.4 kg / 25 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $2.41 $4.83
Mid-grade $4.25 $2.72 $5.44
Premium $4.65 $2.98 $5.96
Diesel $5.30 $3.39 $6.79

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Michigan · Apr 11, 2026

There is no time difference between Dearborn Heights and Royal Oak. The current time is 09:05:44.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.