Getting to and around the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit: City and partners outline transportation details ahead of the biggest party Detroit has ever hosted

• City of Detroit, Visit Detroit have worked for months with partners to ensure Detroiters, Southeast Michigan residents and visitors have access to the NFL Draft
• Planning ahead doesn’t have to mean spending big bucks; park & ride and public transportation will be great options for this event
• Noting restrictions on street parking, DDOT routes will help prevent stress the week of the Draft

The City of Detroit is gearing up to host the NFL Draft in Downtown Detroit this week and teams from the City of Detroit and partners across the region have been working behind the scenes for months to ensure visitors have all the information they need in advance to plan a safe, fun, and easy trip to enjoy the festivities. Mayor Mike Duggan joined city officials and transit partners from across the region to announce the carefully laid plans earlier this month. 

While some of Detroit’s Central Business District will be closed to vehicular traffic, making the trip downtown will be well worth it. In addition to the NFL footprint, there are fun activities planned for fans of all ages at several locations throughout the downtown and across the city. Fans should not sit on the sidelines due to concerns about transportation.

Downtown road closures began March 29 and final road closures being Wednesday, April 24. The road closure schedule was very carefully designed by the City of Detroit and the NFL to ensure minimal disruption to those working and living Downtown. During the Draft, street parking will not be allowed in much of the Central Business District to allow for adequate space for our first responders to efficiently and effectively manage any police or medical emergencies.

The 2024 NFL Draft presented by Bud Light is comprised of the NFL Draft Experience presented by Rocket Mortgage which is FREE for the public to enjoy and the Draft Theater which will serve as the Draft’s central hub where all 32 teams will announce their picks live and in-person. For access to the Draft Experience, fans are required to register for free entry by downloading the NFL OnePass app or on the web at NFL.com/DraftAccess. For those without a smartphone, registration on site via Fan Services staff is also permitted.

The three secure entry points to the 2024 NFL Draft will be located at:

• Jefferson Ave. & Randolph Street
• Jefferson Ave. & Griswold Street
• Cadillac Square & Randolph

There are multiple options for getting to and around Detroit that meet residents and visitors where they are, including park and ride, fan shuttles, public transit and rideshare services.

Bus services

One of the most cost-effective and low-stress ways to get to and from Downtown Detroit during the 2024 NFL Draft will be the park and ride shuttles operated by SMART, QLINE, and Visit Detroit.

The City of Detroit has worked with QLINE, Wayne State University, Michigan Central and General Motors to bring easily accessible Park & Ride fan shuttles to three locations within the city.

QLINE will be offering Park & Ride services, available on a first-come, first-serve basis for $5 per vehicle from the following locations:

• WSU Lot 12 – Harper & Woodward - near the Amsterdam station
• New Center Garage – 116 Lothrop - near the Grand Blvd station
• Cass Garage – 6540 Cass Ave - near the Baltimore station
• John R & Piquette – 6230 John R. - near the Amsterdam station

Fan Shuttle locations: 

• $10 per car - WSU Structures 1, 5, and 2 (first come, first serve) - 450 W. Palmer Ave 
• $15 per car - Bagley Mobility Hub, 1501 Wabash Street (prepay recommended) 
  • Link to Prepay: https://go.lazparking.com/checkout/index-event.html?l=144312&wk=a24320001bf04562ae29930027456896 
• $15 per car - River East Garage, 214 Rivard Street (prepay recommended) 
  • Link to Prepay: https://promo.parking.com/detroit-football-draft-parking/ 

SMART will also be offering Park & Ride all three days of the NFL Draft from multiple locations around Metro Detroit. “SMART recognizes the NFL Draft is a tremendous economic driver that will bring thousands of visitors to Detroit,” said SMART General Manager Dwight Ferrell. “But this event isn’t just for visitors. SMART is focused on the people who live right here in Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne Counties. We are all about giving you access to this exciting event. This is a fantastic opportunity for local families who haven’t tried transit to get on board.”

• SMART buses will depart from Park & Ride locations once an hour between 9am and 3pm on all three days.
• Thursday and Friday, buses will leave Downtown to return to Park & Ride locations once an hour between 1pm and 1130pm.
• Saturday, buses will leave Downtown to return to Park & Ride locations once an hour between 1pm and 730pm.
• East side of Downtown pickup/drop off location will be the Bricktown People Mover Station.
• West side of Downtown pickup/drop off location will be the Fort/Cass People Mover Station.
• One-way fares will be just $2.00 per adult, $1.00 per child ages 5-18, $.50 per adult age 65+ and the disabled. For more information on routes, check smartmovesus.org.

SMART Park & Ride locations:

• Great Lakes Crossing, 4000 Baldwin, Auburn Hills
• Lakeside Mall, 14000 Lakeside Circle, Sterling Heights
• Clemens Farmers Market, 141 North River Road
• Sterling Heights Meijer, 36000 Van Dyke Ave.
• Troy Civic Center Park and Ride lot, 520 W. Big Beaver Road
• Oakland Community College Orchard Ridge Campus, 27055 Orchard Lake Road, Farmington Hills
• Southfield Civic Center bus terminal, 24350 Civic Center Drive
• Westland Police Department, 36701 Ford Road
• Fairlane Town Center, 18900 Michigan Ave., Dearborn
• Lincoln Park Community Center, 3525 Dix Hwy.
• Southgate Meijer, 16300 Fort Street

SMART 2024 NFL Draft Park & Ride locations

DDOT services will continue to operate as scheduled but with modified downtown routes due to road closures. Beginning at 8pm on April 23 through 6am on April 29, DDOT buses coming from the east side will stop at Bricktown People Mover station, and DDOT buses coming from the west side will stop at Rosa Parks Transit Center. DDOT riders should visit DDOT's website for all updated re-route information and a full map: https://detroitmi.gov/departments/detroit-department-transportation/bus-schedules.

Public Transit Options

Once visitors arrive Downtown, Detroit has two excellent – and free – modes of public transportation to help visitors get around the city.

Detroit People Mover

During the 2024 NFL Draft, Detroit’s elevated rail system will operate 24 hours a day, beginning 7am Thursday, April 25 through 12am Sunday, April 28 with trains up to every 5 minutes.

• All 13 stations will be open for convenient travel to and from the Draft activation sites, as well as restaurants, lodging, parking, and easy transfers between DDOT and the QLINE.
• Visitors using People Mover will be able to utilize Financial District & Millender Center stops right next to entry points into the Draft footprint.
• The Fort/Cass Station will be the designated location connecting accessible transportation and is the westside transfer and drop-off point for west-side DDOT and SMART buses.
• Bricktown Station is the eastside transfer and drop-off point for east-side DDOT and SMART buses.

Detroit People Mover stops and locations of NFL Draft entrances

Thanks to the generosity of Priority Waste, one of Detroit’s contracted waste management companies, the Detroit People Mover is free to riders for the remainder of 2024.

“The People Mover was built for this – transporting Detroiters and football fans by the thousands from one exciting moment to the next,” said DTC General Manager Robert Cramer. “No matter if staying downtown, taking one of our transit providers or traveling by car, riding our trains is the best way for Detroiters to easily reach NFL and Draft in the D activities quickly, and we are ready to provide great service around the clock for families and visitors during the long weekend.”

QLINE

Detroit’s QLINE, a free rail service traveling North and South along Woodward Avenue, will operate with short service routes, but higher frequency service during the event to accommodate anyone parking on Detroit’s north end wishing to travel into the NFL Footprint.

• The QLINE will run from 8am-12am Thursday, April 25th through Saturday, April 27th.
• During the Draft, it will stop at Sproat Street by Little Caesar’s Arena.
• Visitors will be able to either walk to entrance points down Woodward through the DDP-hosted Draft in the D activation or can transfer to the People Mover at Grand Circus Park.

Rideshare

The City of Detroit has been working with our rideshare operators, Uber & Lyft, to ensure they have the information they need to navigate around road closures and activations. We are working with our rideshare partners and the NFL to create designated rideshare pick-up and drop-off locations at easily accessible points throughout Downtown. Visitors are encouraged to plan ahead; many rideshare companies offer the opportunity to book a ride in advance.

Bike and Scooter Rental

MoGo

Detroit’s bike share system has 620 bikes and 75 stations in 6 Detroit metro cities, with options for 1-hour ride cycles (after initial payment). There are countless MoGo stations around Detroit including Capitol Park, Woodward and Fort, Larned and Woodward, and the Detroit Riverwalk.

You can also find Lime, Spin, and Boaz scooters all around Downtown Detroit. The scooters and bikes will be geofenced to prohibit their use within the NFL footprint and approximately a one-block radius surrounding the footprint. The City of Detroit is working with scooter operators to set up drop-off valet stations near the NFL footprint entry points for easy pick-up and drop-off of scooters to get around.

DTW->Downtown Detroit made easy

Detroit Air Express (DAX)

DAX is a new airport shuttle offering 16 daily round trips from downtown Detroit to DTW. The shuttle runs every day from 3:30am to 11pm. Tickets are $8 at the door and $6 if you make an advance reservation.

The DAX bus will pick up and drop off in Downtown Detroit on the west side of Washington Blvd near State St., near the Westin Book Cadillac. DTW travelers can find the shuttle at the departure area of the McNamara Terminal, and Ground Transportation at the Evans Terminal. During the Draft event, the D2A2 bus will temporarily move it’s pick up and drop off in Downtown Detroit to Bagley near 1st street.

"At the Regional Transit Authority, our top priority is to enhance integrated mobility options and increase public transit choices for residents and visitors of Southeast Michigan," said Ben Stupka, Executive Director of the Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan. "The NFL Draft is an opportunity to showcase the many transportation offerings - including bus and rail - available to help move people around the region. I am pleased that our D2A2 service and the all-new Detroit Air Xpress are both available and cost-effective options for people traveling to and from Downtown Detroit to Ann Arbor or to DTW Airport, respectively." 

Parking

Visitors to the NFL Draft are strongly encouraged to plan ahead and to pre-arrange parking if they plan to drive downtown. Many off-street lots and garages have already been booked and street parking will be limited or restricted throughout the downtown area. Parking violations will be strictly enforced, and vehicles may be towed for public safety purposes if parked in a restricted area. Visitors planning to park downtown are encouraged to arrive by 10am to avoid issues with traffic, congestion, and accessibility to parking. You can find available off-street parking options on the Park Detroit app or on Park Whiz.

Coach Buses and Shuttles

Private coach buses & shuttles will be required to layover outside of the Central Business District downtown. More information on locations will be shared and posted on the NFL One Pass & Visit Detroit sites. The south side of the Renaissance Center at the Winter Garden can be used for private bus & shuttle pick-up and drop-off to allow for easy access from I-375 and near the main entrance to the NFL Draft.

ADA & Mobility Services

Visitors requiring mobility assistance during the event can reach out for information to the NFL Mobility Assistance Program through [email protected] or by calling 888-745-1455 beginning Monday, April 15th. There will also be mobility assistance services available at all fan booths during the event and the footprint is accessible to all. You can and are recommended bring your own mobility devices through the entry points. Wheelchairs are available in the venue on a first come first serve basis. Eligible Detroit residents can also take advantage of the DDOT Paratransit services by reaching out to (313) 774-5555. There will be designated ADA drop-off point close to the Jefferson / Randolph entrance in front of the Renaissance Center.

Getting here from Windsor

The City of Detroit has been working with our counterparts across the river to ensure fans traveling to Detroit from Windsor enjoy a hassle-free experience. Transit Windsor will be operating enhanced tunnel bus service for fans during the NFL Draft with service every half hour through the Detroit-Windsor tunnel.

“As Canadian and American NFL fans make their way to Detroit, for those who have decided to stay in Windsor hotels the international tunnel bus service, connecting downtown to downtown, has expanded their service hours and increased their departure frequency to help meet demand,” said Gordon Orr, CEO Tourism Windsor Essex. “We thank the City of Detroit and our counterparts at Visit Detroit for recognizing this opportunity to help make the 2024 NFL Draft truly a Two Nation Destination collaboration welcoming visitors from both of our great countries.”

Fans crossing between Windsor and Detroit can learn more at crossingmadeeasy.com, with all the info and tips on what you need to cross the border, tolls and more.