How far is Detroit, MI from Auburn Hills, MI?

The driving distance from Detroit, MI to Auburn Hills, MI is about 32.6 miles (52.4 km), with a travel time of about 00h 39m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 26.4 miles (42.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 18m 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
32.55 mi
00h 39m
Flight
26.41 mi
42.5 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Detroit.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
26.41 mi
Kilometers
42.5 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
32.55 mi
Kilometers
52.38 km
Drive Time
00h 39m

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 39m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Auburn Hills
Sat, Apr 11, 6:48 AM EDT
Return by in Detroit
Sat, Apr 11, 7:28 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Detroit
2026-04-11T06:09
Arrive Auburn Hills
Sat, Apr 11, 6:48 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 39m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:39 AM to 7:39 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:12 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Detroit
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

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

Mid-route stop
Clawson
MI

City in Oakland County in the U.

From Detroit
16.3 mi
00h 19m
To Auburn Hills
16.3 mi
00h 19m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
53°F
Saturday

Sunny

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

Sunny

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

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Detroit and Auburn Hills.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Detroit and Auburn Hills.

  1. 1

    Start on Cadillac Square

    634 ft · 29 sec · Cadillac Square

  2. 2

    Continue on Cadillac Square

    30 m · 4 sec · Cadillac Square

  3. 3

    Turn slight left onto Randolph Street

    950 ft · 38 sec · Randolph Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Monroe Street

    2106 ft · 1 min · Monroe Street

  5. 5

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Chrysler Drive

    10 m · 1 sec · Chrysler Drive

  6. 6

    Take the ramp slight left

    854 ft · 21 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto Walter P. Chrysler Freeway

    30.3 mi · 33 min · Walter P. Chrysler Freeway

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward M 24: Lapeer

    1010 ft · 25 sec

  9. 9

    Continue straight

    1159 ft · 27 sec

  10. 10

    Keep slight right to continue on I 75 Business South: Pontiac

    2951 ft · 58 sec

  11. 11

    Turn left

    27 m · 4 sec

  12. 12

    Turn left

    47 m · 7 sec

  13. 13

    Exit the roundabout onto Shimmons Road

    1928 ft · 1 min · Shimmons Road

  14. 14

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Shimmons Road

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Detroit and Auburn Hills.

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
14 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
1 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
43.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
30.3 mi · 93%
I 75 Business South
0.56 mi · 2%
M 24
0.41 mi · 1%
Monroe Street
0.4 mi · 1%
Shimmons Road
0.37 mi · 1%
Randolph Street
0.18 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Walter P. Chrysler Freeway

Merge slight left onto Walter P. Chrysler Freeway

30.3 mi · 00h 33m

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 39m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 18m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+6.2 mi
26.4 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Clawson
00h 19m from Detroit
Leave By
7:12 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Detroit and Sunny near Auburn Hills.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Detroit to Auburn Hills?

The road trip is about 32.6 miles (52.4 km) and usually takes 00h 39m 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?

Clawson is a useful midpoint, sitting about 16.3 miles from Detroit and 16.3 miles from Auburn Hills.

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

The direct path is about 26.4 miles (42.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 6.2 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 7:12 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $4.34 one way or $8.67 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 10.2 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Detroit and Sunny near Auburn Hills.

Stop Ideas Near Clawson

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Clawson, 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 Clawson.

RAIL

Troy Transit Center

4 mi away
1201 Doyle Drive
RAIL

Birmingham, Michigan

4 mi away
449 South Eton St.
RAIL

Royal Oak station

5 mi away
202 South Sherman Ave.
RAIL

Pontiac Transportation Center

16 mi away
51000 Woodward Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Detroit and Auburn Hills. Straight-line distance: 26.41 mi (42.5 km).

Detroit

#1 Detroit

The twenty-fourth most populous city in the United States and the center of the Detroit metropolitan area.

Population665,369
Coordinates42.3314300, -83.0457500
Altitude183
CountryUnited States
Auburn Hills

#2 Auburn Hills

City in Oakland County, Michigan

Population24,880
Coordinates42.6875300, -83.2341000
Altitude293
CountryUnited States
Start: Detroit (-83.04575, 42.33143)
End: Auburn Hills (-83.2341, 42.68753)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 52 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 05m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 48m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 39m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 32m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 27m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 24m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.15 gal
4.35 L · about $4.34
Round trip
$8.67
2.3 gal · 8.7 L
Estimated CO2
10.2 kg one way
Round trip: 20.4 kg / 45 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $4.34 $8.67
Mid-grade $4.25 $4.89 $9.78
Premium $4.65 $5.35 $10.70
Diesel $5.30 $6.10 $12.20

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 Detroit and Auburn Hills. The current time is 06:09:41.

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.