Origin
Union City, MI
Morning in Union City on Sunday
Local time
10:18 AM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Union City, MI to Lansing, 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 16m
Distance
65.1 mi
105 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 11m
★
6 AM
1h 17m
8 AM
1h 29m
10 AM
1h 21m
12 PM
1h 20m
3 PM
1h 21m
5 PM
1h 28m
8 PM
1h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Union City, MI
Quang Vuong
Trip Overview
This straightforward 65.1-mile drive from Union City, MI to Lansing, MI takes approximately 1 hour and 16 minutes. Designed as a day trip, it's a quick journey through the Midwest's familiar landscapes. The route primarily utilizes I-69 and I-496, making it an efficient way to travel between these Michigan cities. With an estimated fuel cost of around $10, it's a budget-friendly option for a quick getaway or a necessary commute. You won't need to break this trip up; it's easily manageable in a single stretch.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 69 | 49.2 mi | 52m |
| M-60 | 6.7 mi | 9m |
| I 496 | 4.9 mi | 5m |
| West Leroy Street | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| North Broadway Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South Walnut Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| West Malcolm X Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Allegan Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 69
— 49.2 mi, about 52m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Union City, MI and Lansing, MI.
1
Start on Ellen Street
314 ft
·
20 sec
·
Ellen Street
2
Turn left onto North Broadway Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Broadway Street
3
Turn right onto M 60
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
M-60
4
Continue on M 60
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
West Leroy Street
5
Continue on M 60
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
M-60
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Toward I 69 North: Lansing
7
Merge onto I 69
49 mi
·
52 min
·
I 69
8
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
55 sec
Exit 95
Toward I 496: Downtown Lansing
9
Continue on I 496
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
I 496
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
Exit 6
Toward Downtown
11
Turn straight onto West Malcolm X Street
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
West Malcolm X Street
12
Turn left onto South Walnut Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Walnut Street
13
Turn right onto West Allegan Street
412 ft
·
12 sec
·
West Allegan Street
14
Turn right onto Townsend Street
22 ft
·
1 sec
·
Townsend Street
15
Arrive at destination
Townsend Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
33 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 32.5 miles from Union City, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 8.8 and 65.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
8.8 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward I 69 North: Lansing
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 69 North: Lansing
5
58.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
Take the exit toward I 496: Downtown Lansing
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 95
Toward I 496: Downtown Lansing
5
63.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
Take the exit toward Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 6
Toward Downtown
4
64.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m in
|
South Walnut Street
Turn left onto South Walnut Street
Navigation decision point
5
65.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
|
Townsend Street
Turn right onto Townsend Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.18 one way
$20.36 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $11.17 | $22.35 |
| premium | $4.89 | $12.53 | $25.06 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.37 | $28.75 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.5 | 0 | $6.84 | $3.12 |
| Efficient EV | 16.3 | 0 | $5.70 | $2.60 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26 | 0 | $9.11 | $4.17 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 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
Lansing, MI
Morning in Lansing on Sunday
Local time
10:18 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Mostly Cloudy then Widespread Fog
NNW 3 mph
3% chance
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
16 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 16m 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?
Expect a highway-focused experience for most of this trip, with 83% of the drive on major roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch covers 49.2 miles on I-69, offering a consistent pace. While primarily an interstate journey, you'll also navigate segments of M-60 and I-496 as you approach Lansing. This means you'll encounter typical highway conditions with opportunities to maintain speed for much of the 65.1 miles.
83% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 49.2 mi on I 69.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 69 and M-60. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 8.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 16m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 8.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 58.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 63.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 16m. Total distance: 65.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 49.2 miles on I 69. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 8.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 58.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 63.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lansing, 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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