Although not a capital city, Detroit is the largest in the state of Michigan and another one of the excellent vacation spots in the U.S. A modern city that is comparable to the cities of New York and Chicago, Detroit is definitely a must-see for anyone with wanderlust.
Owing to its strategic location, getting to the city of Detroit can be achieved through various modes of transport. One can reach the city by plane, train, bus, or car.
By Plane
A traveler or visiting tourist may enter Detroit through its main airport, known as the Detroit Metro Airport or DTW in Romulus. Located at the I-275 and I-94 interchange, the airport has a wide range of hotels nearby. The DTW, which has six major airstrips, is one of the most recently modernized airports in the U.S., with provisions for World Clubs and a Westin Hotel and conference centre in its terminal. The DTW is also a hub of Northwest operational headquarters, offering direct flights from such cities as Seattle and Osaka among other cities. The newly completed McNamara Terminal caters to Continental, Northwest, Delta and other chief international carriers while other airlines can use the recently completed North Terminal. Terminal McNamara has both international and domestic gates and a shuttle that transports airport passengers in the terminal for convenience. The airport as a whole provides free shuttles which are usually white and blue colored vans labeled “Westin-Terminal.”
After landing at the airport, travelers may get to Detroit’s downtown area by taking a cab or renting a car with standard cab rate of $45 to $50 or by taking the SMART bus service. Route 125 which takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes to get to the downtown area alternately serves the McNamara and Smith terminals but it is more frequently used by airport staff rather than tourists.
By Train
Travelers may also conveniently reach the city of Detroit via the Amtrak service. One can reach Detroit from Chicago via the Wolverine route train service with various links in Chicago. Standard rate for 5-6 hours is $25 to $50. A bus connection is also available at the Toledo Amtrak station with trains to Washington D.C. with standard fare of $65 to $130 for a 16-hour travel and New York with standard fare of $75 to $150 for 21 hours, which are a good route for travels to the eastern part of Detroit. This train station is expediently situated at the corner of Woodward Avenue, particularly at 11 W. Baltimore in Detroit’s midtown area.
By Bus
The city of Detroit can also be reached through the two main bus services Megabus and Greyhound. The Megabus is an inexpensive bus service that travels to and from Chicago with various connections to Midwestern cities and for a basic fare of only $1 to $125 for six hours. The Megabus has no terminal, hence the cheap passenger rates, stopping only at the Grand Circus Park People Mover base on Park Avenue or at a street bend in Cass or Warren near the Wayne State University and cultural district. The Greyhound, on the other hand, has its terminal near downtown Detroit at 1001 Howard St. The Greyhound’s bus service has routes east to Toronto which usually takes about five to six hours, west to Chicago at $35 for five- to eight-hour travels, south to Toledo with passenger fee of $15 for one hour, and other routes in Michigan.
By Car
Travelers may also get to Detroit by car but knowledge of the route map of the city is advised so as not to get confused with Detroit’s complex grid layout. Detroit has various interstates converging in its downtown area, which include I-75, I-94, I-96, I-696, I-275, and Highways M-10, M-14, M-23, M-39 and M-14. I-75 passes North/South from the Toledo proper through Detroit’s downtown area to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. I-94 East/West passes from Chicago city to Detroit and on to Sarnia. I-696 passes through Detroit’s northern area, linking the eastern borders. I-96 heads East/West to the Lansing region in Michigan from downtown Detroit. I-275 links Detroit to Livonia suburb. Southfield Freeway or M-39 links Dearborn to the Southfield region while Freeway M-10, dubbed as Lodge Freeway, links downtown Detroit to Southfield. M-14 links Detroit to Ann Harbor through I-96 while M-23 links I-96 to I-94 circumventing Ann Harbor. The other Freeways M-10, M-23, M-39, M-14 are key highways that interlink with Detroit’s interstates in the metro area, to ease routing.
