Drive or Fly: Rochester Hills, MI to Mount Clemens, MI?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for DTW–DTW. At 18 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

29m

Distance

18 mi

Total Cost

$39

CO2

7 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$4

Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0

Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Comfortable one-day drive

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 45m

2m in the air

Air Distance

14 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rochester Hills, MI → DTW 49m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DTW → Mount Clemens, MI 54m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Rochester Hills, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 32 mi, ~49m drive

Mount Clemens, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 36 mi, ~54m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DTW and DTW. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

1h 33m

19m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Wolverine

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rochester Hills, MI → Pontiac Amtrak Station 11m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 19m

Arrival 10m

Royal Oak Amtrak → Mount Clemens, MI 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

Estimated based on distance. Check amtrak.com for current prices.

Stations

From Pontiac Amtrak Station 7 mi, ~11m drive

To Royal Oak Amtrak 16 mi, ~23m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~18/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 41m

25m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US0160

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rochester Hills, MI → Southfield Bus Stop (SHF6) 20m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 25m

Arrival 10m

Detroit Bus Station (DET6) → Mount Clemens, MI 31m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

Estimated based on distance. Check flixbus.com for current prices.

Stations

From SHF6 — Southfield Bus Stop 13 mi, ~20m drive

To DET6 — Detroit Bus Station 21 mi, ~31m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	29m	3h 45m	1h 33m	1h 41m
Total cost (1 person)	$39	$121	$2	$2
Carbon footprint	7 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Transit: Amtrak GTFS, FlixBus GTFS — fares estimated

Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Apr 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

18 mi 29m

via M 59

Alternative (+4 min)

18.7 mi 33m

via 22 Mile Road, West Hamlin Road

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Rochester Hills, MI to Mount Clemens, MI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.