Driving from Chicago to Detroit
Detroit lies 384 km (238 mi) east of Chicago, +1 h on the clock. What the numbers say about getting there.
Driving takes about 5 h 12 min without stops, over roughly 468 km (291 mi) of road; add breaks, fuel and any border.
| Chicago | Detroit | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | United States | United States |
| Population | 2.7 million | 645,705 |
| Elevation | 180 m (591 ft) | 192 m (630 ft) |
| Time now | UTC-5 (America/Chicago) | UTC-4 (America/Detroit) |
| Postal codes | 60601–60701 | 48201–48288 |
Clocks in Detroit are 1 h ahead of Chicago right now, so a 5 h 12 min journey lands 6 h 12 min later by the destination clock.
Where to book car hire from Chicago to Detroit
We take no bookings for these providers and hold no reservation with them. The provider you choose handles payment, confirmation, changes and refunds. How that works.
Staying in Detroit
Our booking partner lists 196 places to stay in Detroit. Of the 139 with a star rating, the largest group is 3-star (86), and 2 are five-star. Across 46 properties with at least 50 reviews, the average guest score is 8.4 out of 10. Guests have left 26,105 reviews in total.
Book a hotel in Detroit
Live rooms and prices from our booking partner, booked and paid for here. Free cancellation is marked where it applies.
Common questions
How far is Detroit from Chicago?
384 km (238 mi) in a straight line, east of Chicago; by road roughly 468 km (291 mi).
How long does it take to get from Chicago to Detroit by car?
About 5 h 12 min, estimated from distance and typical speeds. Timetables and traffic decide the real figure.
Is there a time difference between Chicago and Detroit?
Detroit is 1 h ahead at the moment (America/Detroit against America/Chicago).
Where can I stay in Detroit?
Our booking partner lists 196 places to stay in Detroit, bookable on this site.
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 13 September 2026. Hotel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.