Transportation in Detroit
On the western shore of the Detroit River, Detroit is a city with a small centre yet covers a huge metropolitan area. Surrounding towns and villages each have their own unique flavour. The town that gave birth to the automobile is, not unexpectedly, low on public transport options. A major network of interstate highways circles and dissects the city; I-94 and I-96 run east/west and I-75 north/south. I-275 and I-696 connect the outer suburbs in a loop. Downtown, find the Cultural District, most professional sports arenas, casinos, ethnic neighbourhoods and the world headquarters of General Motors. The auto-maker corridor continues west, the residential splendour of Birmingham and Bloomfield are north, and the affluent shoreline communities east.
Read more about transport from and to the airport
People Mover
Detroit's only light rail, the PeopleMover is an easy way to explore galleries, sports venues, and theatres, but its circuit is limited to Downtown. Expect crowds on days of major sporting events year-round.
Taxi
Taxis are plentiful outside Downtown hotels and casinos. Calling ahead is necessary for trips picking up outside Downtown.
Bus
Buses are available throughout Downtown, with easy online route planning. To move outside city limits, use the SMART regional system.
Foot
Downtown Detroit is becoming more pedestrian-friendly every day. Try the river walk near the Renaissance Centre for a new perspective of the city and explore the Cultural District's museums, lofts and galleries on foot.
Rent your car
Motor City, as Detroit is often known, is the centre of the US car industry, and its roads are made for the car. There’s a well-organised freeway system that’s easy to navigate, and even during peak periods the traffic keeps flowing. There’s no shortage of car parks downtown, some of them free.
Transportation Tips
A daily, weekly or monthly Go Pass gives unlimited bus travel on Detroit city buses; regional DDOT/SMART passes are available, but only on a monthly basis. Driving in Detroit's suburbs is a snap. Driving Downtown can be confusing, given the city's hub-and-spoke design and frequently-changing street names. However, destinations and attractions are clearly marked. Metered parking can be hard to find, so it is best to find a centrally located parking garage or lot, most of which are inexpensive or free.
Detroit Department of Transportation websiteSuburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation websiteDetroit People Mover website
