How far is Royal Oak, MI from South Lyon, MI?

The driving distance from Royal Oak, MI to South Lyon, MI is about 30.1 miles (48.4 km), with a travel time of about 00h 40m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 25.9 miles (41.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 21m 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
30.09 mi
00h 40m
Flight
25.91 mi
41.7 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Royal Oak.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
25.91 mi
Kilometers
41.7 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
30.09 mi
Kilometers
48.43 km
Drive Time
00h 40m

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 40m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in South Lyon
Sat, Apr 18, 7:04 AM EDT
Return by in Royal Oak
Sat, Apr 18, 7:44 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Royal Oak
2026-04-18T06:23
Arrive South Lyon
Sat, Apr 18, 7:04 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 40m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:41 AM to 7:41 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:08 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

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
Farmington Hills
MI

The second most populous city in Oakland County, Michigan.

From Royal Oak
15 mi
00h 20m
To South Lyon
15.1 mi
00h 20m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
73°F
Saturday

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
9 to 17 mph SSW
Destination
71°F
Saturday

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
12 to 20 mph SSW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Royal Oak and South Lyon.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Royal Oak and South Lyon.

  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

    16.1 mi · 17 min · Walter P Reuther Freeway

  7. 7

    Merge slight right

    2.9 mi · 3 min

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward Beck Road, Novi

    1770 ft · 43 sec

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on Beck Road South, Novi

    539 ft · 15 sec

  10. 10

    Turn straight onto Beck Road

    1.9 mi · 3 min · Beck Road

  11. 11

    Turn right onto West 10 Mile Road

    2 mi · 3 min · West 10 Mile Road

  12. 12

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward 10 Mile Road

    32 m · 2 sec · 10 Mile Road

  13. 13

    Exit the roundabout onto 10 Mile Road

    4.5 mi · 7 min · 10 Mile Road

  14. 14

    Continue on East Lake Street

    2709 ft · 1 min · East Lake Street

  15. 15

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · West Lake Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Royal Oak and South Lyon.

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
15 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
2 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
49.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Walter P Reuther Freeway
19 mi · 63%
10 Mile Road
4.52 mi · 15%
West 10 Mile Road
2.28 mi · 8%
Beck Road
2.27 mi · 8%
South Main Street
0.99 mi · 3%
East Lake Street
0.51 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Walter P Reuther Freeway

Merge slight left onto Walter P Reuther Freeway

16.1 mi · 00h 17m

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 40m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 22m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+4.2 mi
25.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Farmington Hills
00h 20m from Royal Oak
Leave By
7:08 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Royal Oak and Showers And Thunderstorms near South Lyon.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Royal Oak to South Lyon?

The road trip is about 30.1 miles (48.4 km) and usually takes 00h 40m 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?

Farmington Hills is a useful midpoint, sitting about 15 miles from Royal Oak and 15.1 miles from South Lyon.

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

The direct path is about 25.9 miles (41.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 4.2 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 7:08 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $4.00 one way or $7.99 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 9.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms around Royal Oak and Showers And Thunderstorms near South Lyon.

Stop Ideas Near Farmington Hills

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

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

RAIL

Birmingham, Michigan

16 mi away
449 South Eton St.
RAIL

Troy Transit Center

17 mi away
1201 Doyle Drive
RAIL

Pontiac Transportation Center

18 mi away
51000 Woodward Avenue
RAIL

Royal Oak station

19 mi away
202 South Sherman Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Royal Oak and South Lyon. Straight-line distance: 25.91 mi (41.7 km).

Royal Oak

#1 Royal Oak

The most populous city in Oakland County, Michigan.

Population58,963
Coordinates42.4894800, -83.1446500
Altitude202
CountryUnited States
South Lyon

#2 South Lyon

City in southwestern Oakland County in the U.

Population11,846
Coordinates42.4605900, -83.6516100
Altitude282
CountryUnited States
Start: Royal Oak (-83.14465, 42.48948)
End: South Lyon (-83.65161, 42.46059)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 48 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 00m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 45m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 36m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 30m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 25m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 22m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.06 gal
4.02 L · about $4.00
Round trip
$7.99
2.12 gal · 8.04 L
Estimated CO2
9.4 kg one way
Round trip: 18.8 kg / 41 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $4.00 $7.99
Mid-grade $4.25 $4.51 $9.02
Premium $4.65 $4.93 $9.87
Diesel $5.30 $5.62 $11.24

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 18, 2026

There is no time difference between Royal Oak and South Lyon. The current time is 06:23:18.

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.