Drive or Fly: Three Rivers, MI to Rochester Hills, 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 AZO–DTW. At 173 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 22m

Distance

173.9 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

70 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$38

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 36m

16m in the air

Air Distance

136 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Three Rivers, MI → AZO 31m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DTW → Rochester Hills, MI 49m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Three Rivers, MI AZO — Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport 20 mi, ~31m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AZO 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

5h 30m

4h 2m on rail

Total Cost

$24

CO2

7 kg

Route

Wolverine

Door-to-Door Timeline

Three Rivers, MI → Kalamazoo 37m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 242m

Arrival 10m

Pontiac Amtrak Station → Rochester Hills, MI 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $24) $24

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

Stations

From Kalamazoo 24 mi, ~37m drive

To Pontiac Amtrak Station 7 mi, ~11m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~13/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

− Limited schedule — about 13 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 57m

3h 35m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US0160

Door-to-Door Timeline

Three Rivers, MI → Kalamazoo Bus Stop (KLZ6) 37m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 215m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From KLZ6 — Kalamazoo Bus Stop 24 mi, ~37m drive

To SHF6 — Southfield Bus Stop 13 mi, ~20m 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	3h 22m	3h 36m	5h 30m	4h 57m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$125	$24	$13
Carbon footprint	70 kg CO₂	35 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	7 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

173.9 mi 3h 22m

via I 94, M 14, US 131

Shortest (+7 min)

171.1 mi 3h 29m

via I 96, I 96 BL; M 59, I 94

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