How far is Detroit, MI from Franklin, MI?

The driving distance from Detroit, MI to Franklin, MI is about 21.6 miles (34.8 km), with a travel time of about 00h 32m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 18.7 miles (30.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 04m 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
21.65 mi
00h 32m
Flight
18.71 mi
30.11 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Detroit.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
18.71 mi
Kilometers
30.11 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
21.65 mi
Kilometers
34.85 km
Drive Time
00h 32m

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 32m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Franklin
Mon, May 4, 7:38 PM EDT
Return by in Detroit
Mon, May 4, 8:10 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Detroit
2026-05-04T19:06
Arrive Franklin
Mon, May 4, 7:38 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 32m
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 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
Oak Park
MI

City in Oakland County, Michigan, United States

From Detroit
10.8 mi
00h 16m
To Franklin
10.8 mi
00h 16m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
73°F
Monday

Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Mon, May 4 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
8 to 17 mph SW
Destination
74°F
Monday

Sunny

Starts
Mon, May 4 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
7 to 17 mph SW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Detroit and Franklin.

  1. 1

    Start on Cadillac Square

    95 m · 15 sec · Cadillac Square

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Bates Street

    75 m · 7 sec · Bates Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto East Congress Street

    649 ft · 38 sec · East Congress Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Griswold Street

    635 ft · 26 sec · Griswold Street

  5. 5

    Turn right onto West Jefferson Avenue

    1638 ft · 31 sec · West Jefferson Avenue

  6. 6

    Continue on John C Lodge Freeway

    17.4 mi · 23 min · John C Lodge Freeway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward US 24 North

    1649 ft · 40 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto Telegraph Road

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Telegraph Road

  9. 9

    Take the exit left

    35 m · 12 sec

  10. 10

    Turn left onto Telegraph Road

    596 ft · 14 sec · Telegraph Road

  11. 11

    Turn right onto West 13 Mile Road

    1 mi · 2 min · West 13 Mile Road

  12. 12

    Turn right onto Franklin Road

    2664 ft · 2 min · Franklin Road

  13. 13

    Turn left onto Scenic Drive

    19 m · 3 sec · Scenic Drive

  14. 14

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Scenic Drive

Car Route Details

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

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
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
64.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
John C Lodge Freeway
17.4 mi · 80%
Telegraph Road
1.74 mi · 8%
West 13 Mile Road
1 mi · 5%
Franklin Road
0.5 mi · 2%
US 24 North
0.31 mi · 1%
West Jefferson Avenue
0.31 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

John C Lodge Freeway

Continue on John C Lodge Freeway

17.4 mi · 00h 23m

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 32m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 04m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+2.9 mi
18.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Oak Park
00h 16m from Detroit
Leave By
7:26 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Detroit and Sunny near Franklin.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Detroit to Franklin?

The road trip is about 21.6 miles (34.8 km) and usually takes 00h 32m 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 10.8 miles from Detroit and 10.8 miles from Franklin.

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

The direct path is about 18.7 miles (30.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 2.9 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 $2.87 one way or $5.73 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 6.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Detroit and Sunny near Franklin.

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 Detroit and Franklin. Straight-line distance: 18.71 mi (30.11 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
Franklin

#2 Franklin

City in Michigan, USA

Population3,221
Coordinates42.5222600, -83.3060400
Altitude255
CountryUnited States
Start: Detroit (-83.04575, 42.33143)
End: Franklin (-83.30604, 42.52226)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 35 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 43m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 32m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 25m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 21m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 18m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 16m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.76 gal
2.89 L · about $2.87
Round trip
$5.73
1.52 gal · 5.78 L
Estimated CO2
6.8 kg one way
Round trip: 13.5 kg / 30 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $2.87 $5.73
Mid-grade $4.25 $3.23 $6.46
Premium $4.65 $3.54 $7.07
Diesel $5.30 $4.03 $8.06

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 · May 04, 2026

There is no time difference between Detroit and Franklin. The current time is 19:06:24.

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.