Origin
Pontiac, MI
Late night in Pontiac on Sunday
Local time
3:52 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Pontiac, MI to Detroit, MI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
37m
Distance
30.5 mi
49 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 34m
★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 39m
3 PM
0h 40m
5 PM
0h 43m
8 PM
0h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Pontiac, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Detroit, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Driving from Pontiac to Detroit is a straightforward 30.5-mile journey that typically takes about 37 minutes. Because the trip is entirely within the Midwest, you will find the transition between these two Michigan cities seamless and efficient. You can easily complete this route in a single day, making it ideal for a quick commute or a short visit. With an estimated fuel cost of just $5, it is a highly budget-friendly trip that requires no overnight stops. Expect a reliable, no-frills experience that gets you from point A to point B without any unnecessary complications.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Walter P. Chrysler Freeway | 26.6 mi | 29m |
| East Huron Street | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| East Congress Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Woodward Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Chrysler Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Cadillac Square | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Perry Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
— 26.6 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Pontiac, MI and Detroit, MI.
1
Start on North Perry Street
74 ft
·
6 sec
·
North Perry Street
2
Turn right onto M 59
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
East Huron Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
3
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 40A
Toward I 75 South: Detroit
Use the slight right lane.
4
Merge onto I 75
26 mi
·
28 min
·
Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 375
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward Jefferson Avenue East
Use the slight right lane.
7
Turn straight onto Chrysler Drive
133 ft
·
8 sec
·
Chrysler Drive
8
Turn right onto East Congress Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East Congress Street
Use the left lane.
9
Turn right onto Woodward Avenue
449 ft
·
19 sec
·
Woodward Avenue
10
Turn right onto Cadillac Square
126 ft
·
4 sec
·
Cadillac Square
11
Arrive at destination
Cadillac Square
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 29.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
M 59 / East Huron Street
Turn right onto M 59 / East Huron Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
7
2.4 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the exit toward I 75 South: Detroit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 40A
Toward I 75 South: Detroit
6
28.9 mi into trip
|
~33m in
|
I 375 / Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 375 / Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
29.7 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward Jefferson Avenue East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Jefferson Avenue East
6
29.9 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
East Congress Street
Turn right onto East Congress Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.77 one way
$9.54 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.24 | $10.47 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.87 | $11.74 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.73 | $13.47 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.20 | $1.46 |
| Efficient EV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.67 | $1.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.27 | $1.95 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Detroit, MI
Late night in Detroit on Sunday
Local time
3:52 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°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
2 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
37m 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?
This 37-minute trek is a highway-focused drive, with 87% of your travel time spent on major routes. You will spend the vast majority of your time on the Walter P. Chrysler Freeway, which accounts for a 26.6-mile stretch of your total distance. As you transition from East Huron Street onto the freeway, the pace picks up significantly, offering a consistent ride into the city. The route concludes with a brief transition onto East Congress Street as you reach your destination. It is a functional, direct drive designed for efficiency rather than leisure.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 26.6 mi on Walter P. Chrysler Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Walter P. Chrysler Freeway and East Huron Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near M 59 / East Huron Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 30.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 37m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (M 59 / East Huron Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.9 miles (I 375 / Walter P. Chrysler Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 37m. Total distance: 30.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 26.6 miles on Walter P. Chrysler Freeway. 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 Detroit, 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: near the start (M 59 / East Huron Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.9 miles (I 375 / Walter P. Chrysler Freeway): 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 Detroit, 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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