How far is Southfield, MI from Waterford, MI?

The driving distance from Southfield, MI to Waterford, MI is about 21.5 miles (34.6 km), with a travel time of about 00h 36m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 18 miles (29 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 12m 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
21.49 mi
00h 36m
Flight
17.99 mi
28.96 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Southfield.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
17.99 mi
Kilometers
28.96 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
21.49 mi
Kilometers
34.58 km
Drive Time
00h 36m

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 36m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Waterford
Sun, May 31, 10:43 AM EDT
Return by in Southfield
Sun, May 31, 11:19 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Southfield
2026-05-31T10:07
Arrive Waterford
Sun, May 31, 10:43 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 36m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:36 AM to 7:36 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:18 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Southfield
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
Bloomfield Hills
MI

City in Michigan

From Southfield
10.7 mi
00h 18m
To Waterford
10.7 mi
00h 18m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
78°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, May 31 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
1 to 6 mph SSE
Destination
75°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, May 31 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph SSW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Southfield and Waterford.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Southfield and Waterford.

  1. 1

    Start on West 10 Mile Road

    1 mi · 2 min · West 10 Mile Road

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Northwestern Highway

    1232 ft · 26 sec · Northwestern Highway

  3. 3

    Take the ramp slight left toward M 10 North

    961 ft · 23 sec

  4. 4

    Merge slight left onto John C Lodge Freeway

    2 mi · 2 min · John C Lodge Freeway

  5. 5

    Take the exit slight right toward US 24 North

    1649 ft · 40 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Telegraph Road

    7.6 mi · 12 min · Telegraph Road

  7. 7

    Keep slight left to continue on South Telegraph Road

    2.9 mi · 5 min · South Telegraph Road

  8. 8

    Turn left onto Voorheis Street

    1.4 km · 2 min · Voorheis Street

  9. 9

    Turn left onto West Huron Street

    1.2 km · 1 min · West Huron Street

  10. 10

    Continue on Highland Road

    3.3 mi · 5 min · Highland Road

  11. 11

    Turn right onto Airport Road

    2 mi · 4 min · Airport Road

  12. 12

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Williams Lake Road

    75 m · 7 sec · Williams Lake Road

  13. 13

    Turn right onto David K Drive

    1626 ft · 1 min · David K Drive

  14. 14

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · David K Drive

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Southfield and Waterford.

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
2 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
65.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Telegraph Road
7.6 mi · 35%
Highland Road
3.28 mi · 15%
South Telegraph Road
2.9 mi · 13%
Airport Road
2.03 mi · 9%
John C Lodge Freeway
1.99 mi · 9%
West 10 Mile Road
1.01 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

Telegraph Road

Merge slight left onto Telegraph Road

7.6 mi · 00h 12m

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 36m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 12m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+3.5 mi
18 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Bloomfield Hills
00h 18m from Southfield
Leave By
7:18 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Southfield and Sunny near Waterford.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Southfield to Waterford?

The road trip is about 21.5 miles (34.6 km) and usually takes 00h 36m 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?

Bloomfield Hills is a useful midpoint, sitting about 10.7 miles from Southfield and 10.7 miles from Waterford.

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

The direct path is about 18 miles (29 km), while the road route adds roughly 3.5 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 7:18 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 around Southfield and Sunny near Waterford.

Stop Ideas Near Bloomfield Hills

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

Mid-route Guidance
These suggestions come from reviewed places and nearby services around Bloomfield Hills and the surrounding midpoint area.
Stop photo coming soon
Scenic stop 12.1 mi away

City of Ferndale City Hall

Ferndale , MI
300 E 9 Mile Rd, Ferndale, MI 48220
Rating 1.0/5 1 reviews Parking lot
Stop photo coming soon
Meeting point 10.2 mi away

City of Madison Heights

Madison Heights , MI
300 W 13 Mile Rd, Madison Heights, MI 48071
Rating 4.8/5 32 reviews City Hall

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Bloomfield Hills.

RAIL

Troy Transit Center

6 mi away
1201 Doyle Drive
RAIL

Birmingham, Michigan

6 mi away
449 South Eton St.
RAIL

Pontiac Transportation Center

7 mi away
51000 Woodward Avenue
RAIL

Royal Oak station

13 mi away
202 South Sherman Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Southfield and Waterford. Straight-line distance: 17.99 mi (28.96 km).

Southfield

#1 Southfield

A city in Oakland County, Michigan.

Population72,174
Coordinates42.4733700, -83.2218700
Altitude208
CountryUnited States
Waterford

#2 Waterford

Charter township in Oakland county, Michigan

Population75,737
Coordinates42.6930300, -83.4118100
Altitude294
CountryUnited States
Start: Southfield (-83.22187, 42.47337)
End: Waterford (-83.41181, 42.69303)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 35 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 42m
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
2.87 L · about $2.87
Round trip
$5.73
1.52 gal · 5.74 L
Estimated CO2
6.8 kg one way
Round trip: 13.5 kg / 30 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/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 31, 2026

There is no time difference between Southfield and Waterford. The current time is 10:07:25.

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.