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Take Transit to the Lions Playoff Game! What You Need to Know

— Guides

An image of a SMART FAST bus in front of Ford Field with caption "Detroit Playoffs" stenciled in blue

All FAST routes will be operating at 30-minute frequency from noon to midnight on Sunday, January 14th. (FAST Woodward riders: Check the schedules before departing.)

On Sunday, January 14th at 8:15pm, the Lions face the Los Angeles Rams, marking the first time ever Ford Field has hosted an NFL playoff game. Skip the traffic and parking hassle with this guide!

Important note for third-party trip planning app users (Transit, Google Maps, Apple Maps, etc.): Due to the NFL’s short lead time in announcing the game, third-party apps will NOT display the added SMART trips this Sunday. Refer to the temporary schedules linked on this page at the start of each section.

Also, severe winter weather is expected to continue through this weekend. Expect delays due to poor roadway conditions. Be sure to bundle up and allow extra time!

SMART and DDOT fares are $2 for unlimited trips across both systems within a four-hour period. Pay with cash (exact fare required, change cards are issued) or by using the Token Transit app . Note that SMART and DDOT do not accept contactless credit card or NFC / mobile wallet payments at this time.

I don’t wanna read all this, just show me where the bus stops are

You got it. Walking paths highlighted.

Map of walking paths to Ford Field from FAST routes, the QLINE, the People Mover, and the closest MoGo station

From Detroit Metro Airport / Wayne County

View the full FAST Michigan timetable for Playoff Sunday on SMART's website .

✈️ FAST Michigan (SMART Route 261) runs limited-stop service from both Evans Terminal and McNamara Terminal at Detroit Metro Airport to downtown Detroit. Buses depart Evans Terminal from the Ground Transportation Center, accessible by skybridge from Level 2. Buses depart McNamara Terminal from the Departures Level (Level 3) near Door #1, outside the Air France check-in counter. Follow signs for “Municipal Transportation.” Eastbound buses pick up at Evans Terminal first, then McNamara Terminal.

Travel time between the airport and downtown is approximately one hour. On Playoff Sunday, buses will begin running every 30 minutes starting with the 1:11pm eastbound departure from the airport. The last Detroit-bound bus will depart Evans Terminal at 10:41pm.

In Detroit, exit the bus at Woodward and Clifford (Grand Circus Park), one stop after the Rosa Parks Transit Center. Ford Field Gate A is a five-minute walk from Grand Circus. When leaving the game, board the westbound 261 from the same stop on southbound Woodward. Westbound buses depart from Jefferson and Beaubien across from the Renaissance Center at 8:05pm, 8:35pm, 9:16pm, 9:46pm, 10:16pm, 10:46pm, 11:16pm, 11:46pm, and 12:16am (last). Departure time from Woodward and Clifford is approximately 5 minutes later than these posted times. Westbound buses drop off at McNamara Terminal first, then Evans Terminal.

My bike at a FAST stop along Woodward Avenue

Woodward and Clifford, the stop for both the westbound and eastbound FAST 261 near Ford Field.

💡 Free Parking Tip! The Dearborn Transit Center serves as an official SMART Park and Ride lot along Route 261. Travel time between Dearborn and downtown Detroit is approximately 30 minutes.

From Oakland County

View the full FAST Woodward timetable for Playoff Sunday on SMART's website .

FAST Woodward is two SMART routes: 461 and 462. Route 461 runs limited-stop service between downtown Detroit and the Troy Civic Center Park and Ride via Somerset Collection. Route 462 runs limited-stop service between downtown Detroit and Great Lakes Crossing Outlets via Pontiac. South of Birmingham (Woodward / Maple), the two routes run in parallel at evenly staggered intervals. If you are traveling from a stop north of Birmingham, be sure to board the correct bus on your return trip. If you are traveling from Birmingham or stops farther south, the route number does not concern you; board whichever FAST bus comes first.

Travel time between Troy and Detroit is approximately 50 minutes. Travel time between Great Lakes Crossing and Detroit is approximately 90 minutes. South of Birmingham, FAST buses will depart every 20-30 minutes. Departure times from stops north of Birmingham will be irregular; consult the full timetable to plan your departure.

In Detroit, exit the bus at Woodward and Clifford (Grand Circus Park), one stop after Little Caesars Arena. Ford Field Gate A is a five-minute walk from Grand Circus. When leaving the game, board your northbound FAST Woodward bus on the north side of Woodward, between Adams and the northbound QLINE station.

FAST 461 and 462 signpole at Grand Circus Park

Look for the FAST sign above a DDOT sign north of the Grand Circus QLINE platform on the northbound side of Woodward.

Northbound Route 461 buses to Troy depart from Jefferson and Beaubien across from the Renaissance Center at 9:05pm, 9:25pm, 10:00pm, 11:20pm, and 11:50pm (last).

Northbound Route 462 buses to Pontiac depart from Jefferson and Beaubien across from the Renaissance Center at 8:20pm, 8:40pm, 10:20pm, 10:50pm, and 12:20am (last).

Departure time from Grand Circus Park is approximately 10 minutes later than these posted times, though expect delays due to traffic backups postgame. Be ready to flag your bus driver by waving or shining your phone’s flashlight in the air, as passengers can be difficult to see at this stop.

💡 Official Free Parking Tip! The Troy Civic Center Park and Ride serves as an official SMART Park and Ride at the northern terminus of Route 461. Great Lakes Crossing, likewise, serves as the official Park and Ride near the northern terminus of Route 462.

⚠️ Unofficial Parking Tips: It is also possible to park for free at Somerset Collection South (461) and Auburn Mile Meijer (462). Woodward Corners near the Panera and Meijer at Woodward and 13 Mile is another reliable option for both routes. While myself and other SMART riders regularly use these lots for easy access to restrooms and dining, they are not official Park and Ride lots. Somerset in particular has been known to issue parking citations. Park at your own risk!

From Macomb County

View the full FAST Gratiot timetable for Playoff Sunday on SMART's website .

FAST Gratiot (SMART Route 563) runs limited-stop service from Chesterfield (23 Mile) to downtown Detroit. Travel time is approximately one hour. On Playoff Sunday, buses will begin running every 30 minutes starting with the 1:08pm departure from 23 Mile. The last Detroit-bound bus will depart 23 Mile at 11:09pm.

In Detroit, exit the bus at Gratiot and Madison, one stop after Eastern Market. Ford Field Gate G is a very short walk one block north along St. Antoine. When leaving the game, board the northbound 563 across the street on the northbound side of Gratiot at Gratiot and St. Antoine. Northbound buses depart from Larned and Griswold near Huntington Place at 8:06pm, 8:36pm, 9:01pm, 9:35pm, 10:02pm, 10:37pm, 11:11pm, 11:46pm, and 12:15am (last). Departure time from St. Antoine is a couple minutes later than these times.

⚠️ Unofficial Parking Tips: There are no official SMART Park and Ride lots along FAST Gratiot, though riders often choose to park at Chesterfield Meijer. Park at your own risk!

From Detroit neighborhoods: DDOT and the QLINE

Nine DDOT routes run 24/7:

Additionally, Route 1 (Vernor) , Route 2 (Michigan) , and Route 9 (Jefferson) have limited outbound departures after midnight.

The QLINE , a free streetcar that runs along Woodward Avenue between downtown Detroit and Grand Boulevard in New Center, will operate approximately every 15 minutes until 1am.

💡 Free Official Parking Tip! The New Center Amtrak Station, in partnership with MDOT and TechTown Detroit, operates a free, 24/7 parking lot at the northwest corner of Woodward and Amsterdam Street in New Center. (Be sure to only park in the first two rows in spaces with white “Amtrak / Public Transit Parking” signs! The far half of the lot is dedicated to TechTown passholders and is not for public use.)

Note that this is not the $5 parking lot you’ve seen the QLINE market on social media. That’s on the east side of Woodward. This one is always open and always free. It’s mere steps away from the Amsterdam QLINE station and is, in my opinion, the best place to park in all of downtown Detroit. You’re welcome.

MoGo

MoGo is Detroit’s 24/7 docked bikeshare system. Stations are available near Ford Field and throughout downtown. View the system map to find the nearest available bikes.

The closest station to Ford Field is Brush / Madison.

A bike rental is $1 unlock + $0.25/min or a flat fee of $10 for one hour. You must return your bike to a MoGo dock at the end of every trip.

The People Mover

The Detroit People Mover is a free downtown elevated rail circulator which runs in a counterclockwise loop every 5-10 minutes. Trains will run from 10:00am until 2:00am on Playoff Sunday. Travel time around the full loop is approximately 13 minutes.

Have fun, be safe, and goooooooo Lions!! 🏈