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Trip from Farmington Hills, MI to Saginaw, MI

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 42m

Distance

91.4 mi

147 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$14

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 23 min
4 AM
1h 34m ★
6 AM
1h 42m
8 AM
1h 57m
10 AM
1h 47m
12 PM
1h 46m
3 PM
1h 48m
5 PM
1h 57m
8 PM
1h 37m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in Oakland County, Michigan, United States

Farmington Hills, MI

Wikimedia Commons

seat of Saginaw County, Michigan, United States

Saginaw, MI

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 91.4-mile drive from Farmington Hills, MI to Saginaw, MI is a straightforward, highway-focused journey perfect for a single day trip. You can expect to be on the road for about 1 hour and 42 minutes, making it an easy excursion. The estimated fuel cost is around $14, which is quite budget-friendly. The route predominantly utilizes major highways like US 23 and I-96, with a brief stint on the Walter P Reuther Freeway. Given its short duration and efficient route, it’s an ideal option if you’re looking for a quick, no-fuss trip within the Midwest region.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

45.7 miles from Farmington Hills, MI

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 51m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 23 64.7 mi 1h 9m
I 96 15.3 mi 16m
Walter P Reuther Freeway 4.5 mi 4m
East Remington Street 1.9 mi 2m
East Holland Avenue 1.3 mi 1m
West 12 Mile Road 1 mi 1m
Farmington Road 0.9 mi 1m
Orchard Lake Road <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: US 23 — 64.7 mi, about 1h 9m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Farmington Hills, MI and Saginaw, MI.

1

Start on Farmington Road

0.9 mi · 1 min · Farmington Road
2

Turn right onto West 12 Mile Road

1.0 mi · 1 min · West 12 Mile Road
3

Turn right onto Orchard Lake Road

256 ft · 4 sec · Orchard Lake Road
4

Take the ramp

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward I 696 West: Lansing
5

Merge onto I 696

4.5 mi · 4 min · Walter P Reuther Freeway
Use the straight lane.
6

Merge onto I 96

15 mi · 16 min · I 96
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 11 sec
Exit 148A; 147; 147B Toward US 23 South, US 23 North: Ann Arbor, Spencer Road, Flint Use the slight right lane.
8

Keep slight right at fork

0.7 mi · 54 sec
Exit 148B Toward US 23 North: Flint Use the slight right lane.
9

Merge onto US 23

65 mi · 1 hr 9 min · US 23
10

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 44 sec
Exit 149 Toward M 46: Buena Vista, Sandusky
11

Enter roundabout onto M 46

13 ft · 0 sec · East Holland Avenue
12

Continue on M 46

0.2 mi · 15 sec · East Holland Avenue
13

Enter roundabout onto M 46

106 ft · 5 sec · East Holland Avenue
14

Continue on M 46

1.1 mi · 1 min · East Holland Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
15

Turn slight right onto M 46

1.1 mi · 1 min · East Remington Street
16

Continue on East Remington Street

0.9 mi · 1 min · East Remington Street
17

Turn sharp left onto East Holland Avenue

217 ft · 4 sec · East Holland Avenue
18

Arrive at destination

East Holland Avenue

Trip Plan

With a total travel time under two hours, this is a flexible trip that doesn't require much pre-planning. Leaving Farmington Hills in the morning or early afternoon will allow you to reach Saginaw with plenty of daylight. Since there are no designated stops in the data and the drive is relatively short, you can easily accommodate spontaneous breaks. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the longest stretch on US 23, to ensure you don't need to make an unplanned stop. The straightforward highway nature means you'll likely encounter standard service areas if needed.

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 45.7 miles from Farmington Hills, MI, or about 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 64.7 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 20 miles or 23m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 45.7 miles or 51m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 22m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Saginaw, MI than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Farmington Hills, MI so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Farmington Hills, MI

This is one driving day of about 91.4 miles and 1h 42m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Farmington Hills, MI.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 23 for about 64.7 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Lake Fenton, MI, MI

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Lake Fenton, MI

46 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

South Lyon, MI

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 20 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Lake Fenton, MI

Meal break

The midpoint is around 45.7 miles from Farmington Hills, MI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before US 23 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 64.7 miles.

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 13

5 decision points cluster between mile 2.5 and 87.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
2.5 mi into trip | ~4m in | I 696 / Walter P Reuther Freeway

Merge onto I 696 / Walter P Reuther Freeway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
5
7 mi into trip | ~9m in | I 96

Merge onto I 96

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
22.3 mi into trip | ~26m in

Take the exit toward US 23 South, US 23 North: Ann Arbor, Spencer Road, Flint

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 148A; 147; 147B Toward US 23 South, US 23 North: Ann Arbor, Spe...
8
22.5 mi into trip | ~26m in

Keep slight right at fork toward US 23 North: Flint

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 148B Toward US 23 North: Flint
6
87.9 mi into trip | ~1h 36m in

Take the exit toward M 46: Buena Vista, Sandusky

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 149 Toward M 46: Buena Vista, Sandusky

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$14.29 one way

$28.58 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 32 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $15.69 $31.38
premium $4.89 $17.59 $35.18
diesel $5.61 $20.18 $40.36

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$14

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$39–$64

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 32 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 27.4 0 $9.60 $4.39
Efficient EV 22.9 0 $8.00 $3.66
EV Truck/SUV 36.6 0 $12.80 $5.85

Gas CO2

32 kg

EV CO2

11 kg (66% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 14, 2026

Origin

Farmington Hills, MI

Morning in Farmington Hills on Sunday

Local time

6:17 AM

EDT

Current temp

80°F

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

WSW 16 mph 17% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 14 at 4:07PM EDT until April 19 at 6:30PM EDT by NWS Gaylord MI

Flood Watch

Flood Watch issued April 14 at 4:00PM EDT until April 17 at 2:00AM EDT by NWS Gaylord MI

Destination

Saginaw, MI

Morning in Saginaw on Sunday

Local time

6:17 AM

EDT

Current temp

45°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

35 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 42m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

This drive is primarily characterized by its highway focus, with 92% of the route utilizing major roadways. You'll experience a consistent pace for much of the journey, including a significant uninterrupted stretch of 64.7 miles on US 23. The profile suggests a generally smooth and direct experience, minimizing the need to navigate complex local roads. Expect efficient travel with minimal distractions, allowing you to cover ground quickly and comfortably.

92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 64.7 mi on US 23.

How Hard Is This Drive?

6/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 23 and I 96. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2.5 miles in near I 696 / Walter P Reuther Freeway.

Driving Effort 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 91.4 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 2.5 miles (I 696 / Walter P Reuther Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7 miles (I 96): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Farmington Hills, MI to Saginaw, MI, road signs begin pointing toward Flint along the way.

Flint

22.3 mi in | ~26m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 42m. Total distance: 91.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 42m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 64.7 miles on US 23. 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 Saginaw, 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 2.5 miles (I 696 / Walter P Reuther Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7 miles (I 96): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Saginaw, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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