Take Transit to the Lions Playoff Game... Again!

Jan 17, 2024 — Guides

An important note up front

To those who rode FAST last weekend: I won't sugarcoat it. The city (and, by extension, MDOT) did a terrible job of handling event egress along Woodward on Sunday. FAST Woodward, DDOT Route 4, and the QLINE were all temporarily unable to pick up riders traveling north from Grand Circus Park due to a vehicle collision and resulting gridlock.

As riders, we find this lack of transit prioritization unacceptable and have reached out to both the City of Detroit and the Regional Transit Authority to request deployment of temporary transit-only lanes this Sunday to ensure SMART and DDOT can serve riders adequately. In response, The City of Detroit has suggested an aggressive traffic control plan will be in place , but should nothing change, know that you can also board FAST Woodward and FAST Michigan from stops near the Michigan Avenue People Mover station, and FAST Gratiot from directly outside the Financial District People Mover station on Larned. The People Mover runs counterclockwise; travel time from Broadway or Grand Circus to Michigan Avenue is about five minutes, and travel time to Financial District is about ten minutes.

Also, keep this phone number handy: (866) 962-5515, Option 2. This will connect you to SMART Customer Service, which will remain open through the duration of the service day on Sunday evening. If your bus isn’t on time or you have any other questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to call this number.

Important note for third-party trip planning app users (Transit, Google Maps, Apple Maps, etc.): As with last weekend, due to the NFL’s short lead time in announcing the game third-party apps will only display regularly scheduled SMART trips, not the added ones. Refer to the temporary schedules on this page at the start of each section.

Your updated transit guide

It’s all the fun from last weekend , but this time it’s the matinee special. Sunday, January 21st: 3pm kickoff, Ford Field, Lions vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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.

From Ann Arbor

Good news, Ann Arbor Lions fans: Due to the earlier kickoff, you can ride D2A2 to the game this Sunday! Tickets are $6 each way when reserved in advance and $8 when purchased from the driver when boarding. Credit cards are accepted onboard, though I highly recommend you reserve in advance as trips on Sunday are likely to sell out.

Buses depart from the Blake Transit Center in downtown Ann Arbor and from the west side of Grand Circus Park, on Park Avenue just south of Adams, in downtown Detroit. On Playoff Sunday, the 7:45am, 9:00am, 10:15am, and 11:45am eastbound departures from Ann Arbor will get you to the game before kickoff. The return trips during and after the game depart Grand Circus for Ann Arbor at 4:45pm, 6:45pm, and 11:00pm.

From Lansing

Lanstronauts, you get to join the fun as well! You can ride the Michigan Flyer from East Lansing to Ann Arbor for $15 each way when reserved in advance and $3-5 extra when purchased from the bus driver upon boarding. For an extra fee, you can reserve a Hytch connection from the Michigan Flyer stop in East Lansing to your final destination within the Greater Lansing area (convenient for those traveling from Lansing proper, as CATA Route 1 will not be running when you return to East Lansing). Advance reservation is required for Hytch; follow the instructions when booking your bus tickets.

Michigan Flyer buses depart from the East Lansing Marriott. To connect with D2A2 and still make kickoff, board the 9:15am departure (or earlier). You’ll have a 20-minute layover in Ann Arbor. For the return trip, board the 6:45pm D2A2 in Grand Circus Park. You’ll have a 10-minute layover in Ann Arbor for the 7:50pm departure back to East Lansing.

Note that the final westbound departure of the Michigan Flyer from Ann Arbor is 10:35pm, meaning you must make the 6:45pm D2A2 departure to make a connection.*

*Expert Mode: Note that the last Michigan Flyer of the evening departs Detroit Metro Airport’s McNamara Terminal at 10:00pm. It is possible to connect to this departure using FAST Michigan, leaving Grand Circus at approximately 8:40pm for a 9:44pm arrival at McNamara, a 15-minute layover between FAST and the Flyer. I recommend against attempting this as FAST Michigan tends to experience delays and your Flyer trip will be subject to an airport surcharge even though you aren’t flying, but it’s an option if you want the extra two hours in Detroit after the game.

From South Detroit 🇨🇦

With an ATU operator strike avoided , Transit Windsor is offering special event Tunnel Bus service for Sunday’s game. Advance reservations are required. Buses depart from the Windsor Transit Terminal at 1:30pm and return no later than 30 minutes after the game ends. A round trip is $20. Valid identification required for travel across the border.

For more information, pickup location, and to reserve a seat, visit the Tunnel Bus Special Event Service website .

From Detroit Metro Airport / Wayne County

Schedules for Sunday, January 21st ONLY

FAST Michigan Eastbound

FAST Michigan Westbound

✈️ 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.

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. Departure time from Woodward and Clifford is approximately 5 minutes later than scheduled departure time from Jefferson and Beaubien. Westbound buses drop off at McNamara Terminal first, then Evans Terminal.

💡 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

Schedules for Sunday, January 21st ONLY

FAST Woodward Southbound

FAST Woodward Northbound

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.

Northbound departure time from Grand Circus Park is approximately 10 minutes later than posted departures from Jefferson and Beaubien, 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

Schedules for Sunday, January 21st ONLY

FAST Gratiot Southbound

FAST Gratiot Northbound

FAST Gratiot (SMART Route 563) runs limited-stop service from Chesterfield (23 Mile) to downtown Detroit. Travel time is approximately one hour.

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 departure times from St. Antoine are a couple minutes later than scheduled departures from Larned and Griswold.

⚠️ 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:

• Route 3 (Grand River)
• Route 4 (Woodward)
• Route 5 (Van Dyke-Lafayette)
• Route 6 (Gratiot)
• Route 7 (Seven Mile)
• Route 8 (Warren)
• Route 10 (Greenfield)
• Route 16 (Dexter)
• Route 17 (Eight Mile)

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 during game egress.

💡 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 throughout the day on Playoff Sunday. Travel time around the full loop is approximately 13 minutes.

• Exit at Broadway for Ford Field.
• Exit at Times Square for most local DDOT bus connections.
• Exit at Grand Circus Park for FAST Woodward, FAST Michigan, the QLINE, and D2A2.
• Exit at Greektown OR Financial District for FAST Gratiot.

Have fun, be safe, and goooooooo Lions (again)!! 🏈