MuseumDetroit Institute of Arts
Closed MondaysHalf day
Diego Rivera's Detroit Industry murals fill an entire courtyard. Closed Mondays. The free QLINE streetcar runs down Woodward from near the Amtrak station.
Details at dia.org→MI · Metro pop. 4.3M
Detroit
Rust and renaissance: the city where American industry met music, and is meeting art.
A postcard from the city
The QLINE gliding up Woodward, a Motown stage waiting for the downbeat, the Ambassador Bridge over the river, an Amtrak Wolverine pulling in — Detroit quietly putting the pieces back together.
Rails Midwest · City Guide
Detroit is in conversation with itself — grappling honestly with industrial decline while celebrating genuine creative resurrection. The Guardian Building's Art Deco interior remains one of America's most spectacular, the music legacy (Motown, techno) is unmatched, and the artistic ferment in neighborhoods like Corktown feels genuinely generative rather than manufactured. Amtrak's Wolverine pulls into the small New Center station near Woodward; the restored Michigan Central Station about three miles south — Ford reopened it in 2024 as a tech-and-mobility hub after decades of abandonment — is a visit rather than the arrival hall, but the visit is extraordinary. This is a city of authentic transformation.
MusicCultureArchitectureHistoryArtFood & DrinkOutdoorsSports
Orient yourself
Detroit at a glance
Where the train gets in and where the planes land — tap a pin.
Getting here & around
Getting to & around Detroit
Flying in from abroad, connecting from elsewhere in the US, arriving by Amtrak — and then getting around once you’re here, without renting anything.
By Air
Detroit Metro (DTW) is the direct entry — 8 European direct routes plus major US domestic service. No need to route through Chicago.
Fly direct to Detroit from Europe
DTW · MIDelta's eastern hub. Year-round nonstops to London, Paris, Amsterdam and Frankfurt — plus seasonal service to Rome, Munich, Dublin and Reykjavík.
London → DTW
LHRDelta
Daily
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Paris → DTW
CDGDelta
Daily
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Amsterdam → DTW
AMSDelta
Daily
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Frankfurt → DTW
FRADelta · Lufthansa
Year-round
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Rome → DTW
FCODelta
Seasonal (roughly spring to mid-December)
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Munich → DTW
MUCDelta
Seasonal (summer)
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Dublin → DTW
DUBDelta
Seasonal (summer)
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Reykjavík → DTW
KEFIcelandair
Seasonal
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Airport to train station
No rail link from DTW. SMART buses run to downtown Detroit in about an hour; the Amtrak New Center station is just north of downtown, ~10 min by rideshare.
By Train — Amtrak
The Amtrak Wolverine connects Detroit and Chicago in about 5h 30m, three times daily. Trains arrive at the modest New Center station just off Woodward Avenue; the free QLINE streetcar runs south along Woodward to Midtown and downtown, and Corktown is a short rideshare. The restored Michigan Central Station — Detroit's 1913 architectural jewel, reopened by Ford in 2024 — is about three miles south of New Center and is a destination to visit, not where your train pulls in.
Connecting on Amtrak: The Wolverine is the only Amtrak service into New Center, with three daily trains from Chicago via Kalamazoo and Ann Arbor. The Blue Water and Pere Marquette pass through Michigan on different routes but do not serve Detroit directly.
Wolverine
From Chicago
5h 30m · 3 daily departures
Public Transportation
Detroit rewards a little planning. The QLINE streetcar runs free along Woodward Avenue and its northern end is in New Center, minutes from the Amtrak platform — it carries you down through Midtown to downtown. The People Mover loops the downtown core, also fare-free. DDOT buses handle everything beyond those two corridors, and SMART runs the suburbs. The car-free version of Detroit works, but it lives on the Woodward spine.
QLINE streetcar (free)People Mover (free, when running)DDOT busesSMART
Who runs it
Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT)
Near Detroit (New Center) Station
Where to stay in Detroit
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What to do in Detroit
Museum
MuseumThe Henry Ford, Dearborn
By trainFull day
Take the Wolverine one stop west to Dearborn; the museum is a short walk from the station. Greenfield Village next door is seasonal.
Details at thehenryford.org→Food & DrinkEastern Market
SaturdaysA morning
The Saturday market runs year-round, from early morning to mid-afternoon. About 3 miles from the station — take a rideshare or bus.
Details at easternmarket.org→Take the train here
Ready-made trips through Detroit
Good to know
Questions travelers ask
Does Detroit have a subway?
No. Detroit's rail transit is the QLINE streetcar, which runs along Woodward Avenue from New Center through Midtown to downtown, and the People Mover, an elevated loop around the downtown core. Both are fare-free. DDOT buses cover the rest of the city and SMART runs the suburbs.
Where does the Amtrak train stop in Detroit?
At the small New Center station just off Woodward Avenue — not the restored Michigan Central Station, which is about three miles south and is a place to visit rather than a working Amtrak stop. The QLINE's northern end is minutes from the platform.
How long is the train from Chicago to Detroit?
About five and a half hours on the Wolverine, which runs three times a day in each direction.
Which airport should I fly into for Detroit?
Fly direct into Detroit Metro (DTW) — 8 nonstop European routes, plus extensive non-stop US domestic service — or connect through Chicago O'Hare (ORD) if your preferred carrier isn't available on the direct service. See the "Fly direct to Detroit" block for the current carriers and schedules.