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

The driving distance from Royal Oak, MI to Dearborn Heights, MI is about 18.4 miles (29.6 km), with a travel time of about 00h 30m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 12.4 miles (20 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 01m 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
18.38 mi
00h 30m
Flight
12.41 mi
19.98 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Royal Oak.

Flight Distance

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

Driving Distance

Road route
18.38 mi
Kilometers
29.58 km
Drive Time
00h 30m

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 30m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Dearborn Heights
Sat, Apr 11, 7:59 AM EDT
Return by in Royal Oak
Sat, Apr 11, 8:30 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Royal Oak
2026-04-11T07:29
Arrive Dearborn Heights
Sat, Apr 11, 7:59 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 30m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:31 AM to 7:31 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:28 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Royal Oak
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 Royal Oak
9.2 mi
00h 15m
To Dearborn Heights
9.2 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 ENE
Destination
55°F
Saturday

Sunny

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

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    38 m · 11 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right onto West 11 Mile Road

    53 m · 8 sec · West 11 Mile Road

  3. 3

    Turn right onto South Main Street

    1.6 km · 3 min · South Main Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto West 10 Mile Road

    1448 ft · 37 sec · West 10 Mile Road

  5. 5

    Take the ramp straight toward I 696 West

    1745 ft · 43 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Walter P Reuther Freeway

    2 mi · 2 min · Walter P Reuther Freeway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward Greenfield Road

    2022 ft · 54 sec

  8. 8

    Turn left onto Greenfield Road

    1365 ft · 46 sec · Greenfield Road

  9. 9

    Turn right onto West 10 Mile Road

    1.6 km · 2 min · West 10 Mile Road

  10. 10

    Turn left onto Southfield Road

    1.2 km · 1 min · Southfield Road

  11. 11

    Continue on Southfield Freeway

    5.5 mi · 7 min · Southfield Freeway

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right toward I 96: Downtown Detroit, Lansing

    1288 ft · 31 sec

  13. 13

    Keep slight right to continue on I 96 West: Lansing

    1639 ft · 40 sec

  14. 14

    Merge slight left onto Jeffries Freeway (Local)

    2.5 mi · 3 min · Jeffries Freeway (Local)

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight right toward US 24: Telegraph Road

    1629 ft · 40 sec

  16. 16

    Turn straight onto Schoolcraft Street

    571 ft · 23 sec · Schoolcraft Street

  17. 17

    Turn left onto Telegraph Drive

    1722 ft · 35 sec · Telegraph Drive

  18. 18

    Turn straight onto Telegraph Road

    3.1 mi · 5 min · Telegraph Road

  19. 19

    Turn slight left

    5 m · 1 sec

  20. 20

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

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

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
20 steps
10 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
2 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
108.7 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Southfield Freeway
5.46 mi · 30%
Telegraph Road
3.05 mi · 17%
Jeffries Freeway (Local)
2.53 mi · 14%
Walter P Reuther Freeway
2.02 mi · 11%
West 10 Mile Road
1.26 mi · 7%
South Main Street
0.99 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

Southfield Freeway

Continue on Southfield Freeway

5.46 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 30m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 02m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+6 mi
12.4 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Oak Park
00h 15m from Royal Oak
Leave By
7:28 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Royal Oak and Sunny near Dearborn Heights.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 18.4 miles (29.6 km) and usually takes 00h 30m 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 9.2 miles from Royal Oak and 9.2 miles from Dearborn Heights.

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 6 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 7:28 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.45 one way or $4.90 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 5.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

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 Royal Oak and Dearborn Heights. Straight-line distance: 12.41 mi (19.98 km).

Royal Oak

#1 Royal Oak

The most populous city in Oakland County, Michigan.

Population58,963
Coordinates42.4894800, -83.1446500
Altitude202
CountryUnited States
Dearborn Heights

#2 Dearborn Heights

A city in Wayne County, Michigan.

Population55,027
Coordinates42.3369800, -83.2732600
Altitude189
CountryUnited States
Start: Royal Oak (-83.14465, 42.48948)
End: Dearborn Heights (-83.27326, 42.33698)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 30 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 22m
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
0.65 gal
2.46 L · about $2.45
Round trip
$4.90
1.3 gal · 4.92 L
Estimated CO2
5.8 kg one way
Round trip: 11.6 kg / 26 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $2.45 $4.90
Mid-grade $4.25 $2.76 $5.53
Premium $4.65 $3.03 $6.05
Diesel $5.30 $3.45 $6.90

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 Royal Oak and Dearborn Heights. The current time is 07:29:12.

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.