Getting around · Detroit
Getting to and from DTW: taxi, rideshare, transit & the cell-phone lot
The quickest way to Detroit airport is usually a taxi or a rideshare: a taxi runs about $45–$55 to Downtown Detroit, and Uber & Lyft pick up in a marked pickup zone. Picking someone up instead? Wait free at the Cell Phone Waiting Lots (North and South). Below: every way to and from the airport, what it costs, whether to park or grab a ride, and how to fold the drive into your Leave-By Time so you reach security with room to get through the line. Check DTW TSA wait times today before you decide when to leave.
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- 3
- PreCheck
- Yes
- CLEAR
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- Global Entry
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Taxis from DTW — fare and where to find the stand
Typical taxi fare
~$45–$55
to Downtown Detroit
Drive time
25–50 min
20 mi to Downtown Detroit
A taxi is the simplest door-to-door option and needs no app. Expect about $45–$55 to Downtown Detroit on the meter, before tolls and tip — more in heavy traffic.
Taxis and luxury sedans (Metro Cab / Metro Cars) dispatch from the Ground Transportation Center: middle of the GTC on Level 4 at McNamara Terminal, and the GTC at Evans/North Terminal; reserve at the Metro Cars/Metro Cab kiosks in each GTC. DTW's contracted providers are Metro Cars (800-456-1701) and Metro Cab (734-997-6500); both run 24/7 and offer handicap-accessible vehicles on request. Fares are operator-set (no city meter), so get the price up front.
The DTW cell-phone waiting lot
Picking someone up? Wait free at Cell Phone Waiting Lots (North and South). Two free lots, one at each end of the airport, where drivers idle close to the terminals while waiting for an arriving traveler's call; the North lot sits near the rental-car return/Big Blue Deck area off the airport's north (I-94/Goddard) service drive (relocated in 2024), and the South lot is on the south side of Eureka Rd. between I-275 and the airport entrance. Wait there until your traveler texts that they're at the curb, then loop in once. Follow airport signs to the North Cell Phone Lot (north end, by the rental-car return off the I-94/Goddard north service drive) or the South Cell Phone Lot (south side of Eureka Rd. between I-275 and the airport entrance); wait for the call, then proceed to the correct terminal's arrivals level.
Leaving a car for the trip instead of getting dropped off? It's worth checking the lots: compare DTWparking by price & distance.
Where to catch Uber & Lyft at DTW
Uber and Lyft pick up in the Ground Transportation Centers at both terminals - follow the 'Rideshare' signs from baggage claim to the GTC (lower/ground transportation level). Detroit has two separate terminals (McNamara for Delta/partners, Evans/North for everyone else) each with its own Ground Transportation Center, so confirm your terminal first; drivers stage in a 'Rideshare Hold Lot' off Goddard Rd./94 Service Dr. before being called forward.
Dropping off? Departures drop-off is curbside on the upper Departures level - follow signs for your airline's terminal (McNamara or Evans), then the Departures level. DTW has 2 terminals (McNamara, North), so confirm your airline's before your driver commits to a curb — find your terminal at DTW.
Driving to DTW — routes & drive time
DTW sits about 20 miles from Downtown Detroit, a drive of roughly 25–50 minutes via I-94 (Edsel Ford Freeway) east toward downtown Detroit; follow signs for 'Detroit Metro Airport' on the return — closer to the high end at rush hour. That drive time is the first input into your Leave-By Time, so the calculator counts it backward from your flight along with today's security wait and the walk to your gate.
Getting to DTW by train or transit
There is no rail link at DTW. The Detroit Air Xpress (DAX) bus, run by Michigan Flyer for the RTA, serves Downtown Detroit daily 3:30 a.m.-11 p.m. ($8 at the door/$6 advance) with up to 16 round trips, and SMART buses serve downtown and suburbs (Route 125 Fort St., plus high-frequency FAST Michigan Route 261); board at McNamara's Departures level near Door 1 or the Evans GTC.
Fare: Detroit Air Xpress (DAX) bus to downtown: $8 at the door, $6 in advance ($4 reduced for seniors/disabled/youth/college).
Hotel and city shuttles to DTW
Hotel shuttles serve both Ground Transportation Centers; Michigan Flyer/AirRide buses run to Ann Arbor and East Lansing, while DAX and SMART/FAST cover Downtown Detroit. If a shuttle is part of your plan, add its ride time to your Leave-By Time — it's easy to forget the 15–20 minutes between the curb and the terminal.
Park or ride to DTW?
Here's the math. Parking starts around $8/day, while a round-trip taxi or rideshare to Downtown Detroit runs about $100. So a round trip by car comes out ahead once you're away more than about 13 days — for a quick trip, parking usually costs less; for a long one, getting a ride does.
Want the exact trade-off for your dates? compare DTWparking by price & distance — the closest lot isn't always the one that costs the least.
Accessibility and late-night rides at DTW
Handicap-accessible taxis/sedans are available on request from Metro Cab/Metro Cars; all SMART fixed-route buses are wheelchair accessible (space for two), accessible rideshare uses the GTC pickup, and ADA pickup is in the Ground Transportation Centers.
Late or overnight arrival? Buses thin out overnight (DAX ends ~11 p.m. and restarts 3:30 a.m.), so for late arrivals rely on 24/7 taxis (Metro Cab/Metro Cars) or rideshare from the Ground Transportation Centers.
Returning a rental on the way out? McNamara Terminal: return cars in the GTC/McNamara parking deck following 'Rental Car Return' signs. Evans/North Terminal: returns are at the Big Blue Deck across from the terminal, with a rental-car shuttle from the GTC. (We cover where to return a car, not where to book one.)
Recently changed: MDOT's multi-year 'Restore I-94' reconstruction is underway on the I-94 corridor toward downtown Detroit (expect lane closures/detours), and McNamara's South Helix parking ramp closed starting June 15, 2026. Pickup zones and curb rules change — we verified DTW's ground-transport details as of June 27, 2026. Always check the in-app pickup pin and posted signs when you land.
Flying out of a nearby airport instead?
If a fare or a schedule points you elsewhere, the closest airport we cover is CLE (Cleveland), about 95 miles from DTW in a straight line. The same math on this page — drive time, ride cost, security wait — decides whether the extra distance is worth it.
Other airports nearby
Straight-line distance from DTW — check current waits before switching airports.
Before you go DTW
DTW TSA wait times todaySee today's security wait by checkpoint, then time your ride to the airport.Getting-around FAQ DTW
How much is a taxi to or from DTW?
A metered taxi to Downtown Detroit typically runs about $45–$55, before tolls and tip and more in heavy traffic. Taxis and luxury sedans (Metro Cab / Metro Cars) dispatch from the Ground Transportation Center: middle of the GTC on Level 4 at McNamara Terminal, and the GTC at Evans/North Terminal; reserve at the Metro Cars/Metro Cab kiosks in each GTC.
Where do you catch Uber and Lyft at DTW?
Uber and Lyft pick up in the Ground Transportation Centers at both terminals - follow the 'Rideshare' signs from baggage claim to the GTC (lower/ground transportation level). Detroit has two separate terminals (McNamara for Delta/partners, Evans/North for everyone else) each with its own Ground Transportation Center, so confirm your terminal first; drivers stage in a 'Rideshare Hold Lot' off Goddard Rd./94 Service Dr. before being called forward. Open the app after you land and follow its pickup pin, not the curb out front.
Where is the DTW cell-phone lot?
Cell Phone Waiting Lots (North and South) — Two free lots, one at each end of the airport, where drivers idle close to the terminals while waiting for an arriving traveler's call; the North lot sits near the rental-car return/Big Blue Deck area off the airport's north (I-94/Goddard) service drive (relocated in 2024), and the South lot is on the south side of Eureka Rd. between I-275 and the airport entrance. It's free, and you wait there until your traveler texts that they have their bags.
How far is DTW from Downtown Detroit?
DTW is about 20 miles from Downtown Detroit — roughly 25–50 minutes by car depending on traffic, via I-94 (Edsel Ford Freeway) east toward downtown Detroit; follow signs for 'Detroit Metro Airport' on the return.
Is there a train from DTW to Downtown Detroit?
Not directly. There is no rail link at DTW. The Detroit Air Xpress (DAX) bus, run by Michigan Flyer for the RTA, serves Downtown Detroit daily 3:30 a.m.-11 p.m. ($8 at the door/$6 advance) with up to 16 round trips, and SMART buses serve downtown and suburbs (Route 125 Fort St., plus high-frequency FAST Michigan Route 261); board at McNamara's Departures level near Door 1 or the Evans GTC.