Origin
Chelsea, MI
Morning in Chelsea on Sunday
Local time
10:40 AM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chelsea, MI to Farmington Hills, MI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
59m
Distance
47.2 mi
76 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 55m
★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 9m
10 AM
1h 3m
12 PM
1h 2m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 9m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chelsea, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Farmington Hills, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling between Chelsea and Farmington Hills covers 47.2 miles of Southeast Michigan, typically taking about 59 minutes behind the wheel. Because this is a relatively short trip, it serves perfectly as a one-day excursion that doesn't require an overnight stay. You can expect to spend roughly $7 on fuel for the journey, making it a very budget-friendly commute. The route keeps you entirely within the Midwest, transitioning between smaller town surroundings and the more suburban landscape of Farmington Hills. It is a straightforward drive that is ideal for those who prefer to keep their time on the road efficient and predictable.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| M 14 | 22.2 mi | 23m |
| I 94 | 8.5 mi | 9m |
| I 275 | 5.3 mi | 5m |
| Walter P Reuther Freeway | 2.9 mi | 3m |
| East Old US Highway 12 | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| West 11 Mile Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| North Main Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Orchard Lake Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
M 14
— 22.2 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chelsea, MI and Farmington Hills, MI.
1
Start on this road
439 ft
·
34 sec
·
this road
2
At end of road, turn right onto M 52
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
North Main Street
3
Turn left onto East Old US Highway 12
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
East Old US Highway 12
Use the left lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Toward I 94 East: Ann Arbor
5
Merge onto I 94
8.5 mi
·
9 min
·
I 94
6
Keep slight left at fork onto M 14
4.7 mi
·
5 min
·
M 14
Exit 171
Toward M 14: Plymouth
7
Keep right at fork onto M 14
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
M 14
Toward M 14 East, US 23 South: Plymouth
8
Keep slight left at fork onto M 14
15 mi
·
16 min
·
M 14
Exit 42
Toward M 14 East: Plymouth, Livonia
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 275 North, I 96 West: Flint
Use the right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 96 West
Use the straight lane.
11
Merge onto I 275
5.3 mi
·
5 min
·
I 275
12
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
Exit 165
Toward I 696, M 5 East, M 5 North: Port Huron
Use the slight right lane.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward I 696: Port Huron
14
Keep slight right at fork
1.1 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 696: Port Huron
Use the slight right lane.
15
Merge onto I 696
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Walter P Reuther Freeway
16
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 5
Toward Farmington Hills
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Turn right onto Orchard Lake Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Orchard Lake Road
Use the right lane.
18
Turn right onto West 11 Mile Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
West 11 Mile Road
Use the right lane.
19
Turn right onto Farmington Road
443 ft
·
9 sec
·
Farmington Road
20
Arrive at destination
Farmington Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.6 miles from Chelsea, MI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 185 decision points cluster between mile 19.2 and 41 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
9
19.2 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
M 14
Keep slight left at fork onto M 14 toward M 14 East: Plymouth, Livonia
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 42
Toward M 14 East: Plymouth, Livonia
7
34.3 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Take the exit toward I 275 North, I 96 West: Flint
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I 275 North, I 96 West: Flint
7
34.7 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 96 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward I 96 West
8
40.2 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Take the exit toward I 696, M 5 East, M 5 North: Port Huron
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 165
Toward I 696, M 5 East, M 5 North: Port Huron
7
41 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 696: Port Huron
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 696: Port Huron
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.38 one way
$14.76 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.10 | $16.20 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.08 | $18.17 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.42 | $20.84 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.2 | 0 | $4.96 | $2.27 |
| Efficient EV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.13 | $1.89 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.9 | 0 | $6.61 | $3.02 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Farmington Hills, MI
Morning in Farmington Hills on Sunday
Local time
10:40 AM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
59m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a mixed driving experience as you navigate this 47.2-mile connection. With 41% of the journey spent on highways, you will spend most of your time moving along I-94, M-14, and I-275. The longest uninterrupted stretch occurs on M-14, where you will cover 22.2 miles of steady highway driving. The transition from the rural feel of Chelsea into the busier freeway system creates a clear shift in pace. You won't face any mandatory stops, allowing for a consistent flow as you move from the initial highway segments into the final stretch of your trip.
41% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.2 mi on M 14.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 19.2 miles in near M 14.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 18 decision points packed into just 47.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 59m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 19.2 miles (M 14): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 34.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 34.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
950 ft
721 ft
Total Climb
225 ft
Total Descent
304 ft
Highest Point
950 ft
~13.5 mi in
Elevation Range
230 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Chelsea, MI and Farmington Hills, MI, road signs point toward M 14: Plymouth, M 14 East, M 14 East: Plymouth, Livonia, M 5 East and M 5 North: Port Huron.
M 14: Plymouth
12.2 mi in
|
~16m
|
via M 14
M 14 East
16.9 mi in
|
~21m
|
via M 14
M 14 East: Plymouth
19.2 mi in
|
~24m
|
via M 14
Livonia
19.2 mi in
|
~24m
|
via M 14
M 5 East
40.2 mi in
|
~47m
M 5 North: Port Huron
40.2 mi in
|
~47m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 59m. Total distance: 47.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (41%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 22.2 miles on M 14. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Farmington Hills, MI before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 19.2 miles (M 14): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 34.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 34.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Farmington Hills, MI before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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