Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
41m
Distance
32.3 mi
52 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Royal Oak, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Romulus, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Connecting Royal Oak to Romulus is a straightforward 32.3-mile trip that typically takes about 41 minutes. Because of the short distance, this drive is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, meaning you won't need to worry about overnight accommodations. You will navigate a path dominated by major thoroughfares, including the South Walter P. Chrysler Freeway, the Edsel Ford Freeway, and the Detroit Industrial Expressway. With a fuel cost of approximately $5, it is an incredibly budget-friendly commute within the Midwest. This route is designed for efficiency rather than leisure, making it a practical choice for getting from point A to point B without unnecessary hassle.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit Industrial Expressway | 14.1 mi | 15m |
| South Walter P. Chrysler Freeway | 8.6 mi | 9m |
| Edsel Ford Freeway | 5.6 mi | 7m |
| West 11 Mile Road | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| Goddard Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Wayne Road | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| South Stephenson Highway | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Royal Oak, MI and Romulus, MI.
Start on this road
Turn right onto West 11 Mile Road
Turn right onto South Stephenson Highway
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 75
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 94
Continue on I 94
Take the exit
Turn left onto Wayne Road
Turn right onto Goddard Road
Turn right
Turn right
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.5 and 31.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto South Stephenson Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 94: Port Huron, Chicago
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward I 94 West: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Wayne Road, Wayne
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Turn left onto Wayne Road
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$5.05 one way
$10.10 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.54 | $11.09 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.22 | $12.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.13 | $14.26 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.3 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 | 9.7 | 0 | $3.39 | $1.55 |
| Efficient EV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.83 | $1.29 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.52 | $2.07 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Royal Oak on Sunday
Local time
12:15 AM
EDT
Current temp
79°F
Sunny
Destination
Late night in Romulus on Sunday
Local time
12:15 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Expect a high-speed, highway-focused experience as 88% of your journey stays on major freeways. The road offers a consistent pace, characterized by a series of interconnected expressways that keep you moving steadily toward your destination. You will encounter your longest stretch of uninterrupted driving during the 14.1-mile segment on the Detroit Industrial Expressway. Because the route is entirely focused on highway travel, you won't find yourself navigating winding local roads or dealing with technical turns. It is a functional, no-nonsense drive that rewards drivers who prefer the predictability of large, multi-lane interstates.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Detroit Industrial Expressway and South Walter P. Chrysler Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.5 miles in near South Stephenson Highway.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 32.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.5 miles (South Stephenson Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
119 ft
Total Descent
123 ft
Highest Point
662 ft
Elevation Range
92 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Royal Oak, MI to Romulus, MI, road signs begin pointing toward Chicago along the way.
Chicago
Royal Oak is a suburb of Detroit in Oakland County, Michigan known for its trendy downtown shopping area and bars. 1 mile South of Royal Oak is Ferndale, a place very similar to Royal Oak, known for its large lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender population. North of Royal Oak is Birmingham, an opulent area known for its upscale boutiques.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 41m. Total distance: 32.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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