Transit Guide: QLINE Detroit
There are over 100 places eat, drink and shop along Detroit’s streetcar line.
QLINE Detroit began service in 2017 and is operated by M-1 Rail. It runs daily between downtown Detroit and Grand Boulevard along Woodward Ave. The following is a guide to the many destinations along Woodward within walking distance of each station.
Fare Info and Operating Hours
- The QLINE is currently free to ride.
- Current hours are Mon-Sat: 8am —12am and Sun: 8am — 9pm.
- If you need to travel earlier or later, ride FAST Woodward or DDOT #4.
Park and Ride
There are plenty of parking structures along the route where you can pay to park and ride far cheaper than parking downtown. There is however a free public transit parking lot at Woodward and Amsterdam. On weekends, there is a $5 lot on the east side of Woodward and Harper.
Center Running Stations: These stations are like the original streetcar stations which are placed in the middle of Woodward Ave. Please carefully cross the road to board the the streetcar. These are located in the New Center Area.
Grand Boulevard Station
(Woodward and W. Grand Blvd.) This area is referred to as New Center. It is the origin of the M-1 Rail. To the west along Grand Blvd is the Hotel St. Regis, Fisher Theater, Albert Kahn and Associates, New Center Park, Pure Detroit, The Peacock Room, The Boulevard, Henry Ford Hospital and Motown Museum. To the south you’ll find Baobab Fare, Oak & Reel, Urbanum, North End Collective, Joe Louis Soul Kitchen, Cooking with Que, Supino Pizzeria and Yum Village. There are big plans for the business district between W. Grand Blvd and Baltimore. This is a great park and ride location with easy access to The Lodge or I-75 as well as a great destination.
Baltimore Street Station
(Woodward and Baltimore) This station is just north of Detroit’s Amtrak station. The Wolverine train runs north to Pontiac and west to Chicago from here three times daily. Check out Northern Lights Lounge, Shinola, CCS Alfred Taubman Center to the west and White Castle, Atomic Chicken, Baltimore Station and the burgeoning Milwaukee Junction district full of potential living, industrial, dining and creative spaces to the east like Tangent Gallery, Firewater and Kiesling to the east. (Transfer to DDOT #4-Woodward or FAST Woodward here)
Amsterdam Station
(Woodward and Amsterdam) From this stop you can grab a bite at Z’s Villa or Bucharest Grill on Piquette. Two more blocks east is the volunteer run 1904 Ford Piquette Plant museum where the Model T was born. To the west you’ll find the newly constructed Bio Building of Wayne State, Tech Town and the Detroit Pistons practice facility. (There is a free park & ride on the west side of Woodward)
Curb Running Stations: These stations are along the sides of the roads. If you park along Woodward make sure you are hugging the curb so you don’t delay the streetcar!
Ferry Street Station
(Woodward and Ferry Street) To the east is the Park Shelton, Fourteen East, Frida, Wasabi Korean & Japanese, Chartreuse Kitchen, the historic Inn on Ferry Street, Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute, BasBlue and many beautifully designed homes from the late 1800’s. To the west is Wayne State University. This section of campus features several mid century buildings designed by famed architect Minoru Yamasaki, designer of the World Trade Center in New York. On Cass Ave is the Detroit Carhartt store, Tony V’s and Byblos Cafe, Common Pub and the Old Campus Restaurant. Directly to the south sits the Detroit Historical Museum, Hellenic Museum of Michigan, International Institute of Metropolitan Detroit, Main Branch Detroit Library (featuring many rare collections), The Detroit Institute of Arts, College for Creative Studies, and Scarab Club art gallery.
Warren Station
(Woodward and Warren Ave.) The SB station is on the south side of Warren and the NB station is north of Warren. These let out at the Wayne State University Welcome Center (west side) and the Horace J. Rackham Education Memorial Building (east side). Other places of interest include Wayne State, Michigan Science Center, Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, The Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Seva (Veg/Vegan), IMA Midtown, SuperCrisp, La Pita Fresh, The Potato Place, Epicurus Restaurant of Wayne State, Olympic Grill of Wayne State, historic Old Main , Tim Hortons, Blimpie, Hillberry Theater, Preservation Detroit, Shangri-La and a dozen other food options on and off campus. (Transfer here to #8-Warren to reach Core City, Dearborn & Stellantis Mack Assembly Plant)
Canfield Station
(Woodward and Canfield) This station lets out in Midtown Detroit at HopCat, The Whitney, McDonald’s, Starter’s Bar and Grill, Blick Art Supplies, Firehouse Subs, Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD) and is steps from Poke Poke Sushi, Rock City Eatery, Red Hook Coffee, The Block, Zef’s Midtown, Majestic Cafe, Majestic Theater, The Magic Stick and America’s oldest active bowling center The Garden Bowl. East of Woodward is N’Namdi Center for Contemporary Art, SoCRA Tea, Haraz Coffe, La Palma, Hammer & Nail Bar, Give Thanks Bakery and John D. Dingell VA Medical Center. West on the historic Cass Corridor you’ll find Bikram Yoga, Mario’s Detroit, Maya’s Indo-Pak, La Hooka Town, Green Garage Detroit, The Bronx Bar, Juice Joint, Third Wave Music, Royale with Cheese, Slows to Go, Go Sy Thai, Cold Truth, Tou & Mai, RUN Detroit, Cass Cafe, El Veloz Taco, Alley Taco, La Feria, Old Miami and Treat Dreams. Two blocks west on Canfield is Jolly Pumpkin Pizza/Avalon Canfild, City Bird, Motor City Brewing Works, Shinola, Third Man Records and Bon, Bon, Bon. On Alexandrine St is El Moore Lodge. On Selden is Honest? John’s and Selden Standard. Take a stroll down historic Canfield’s cobble stone lane to Third Street for Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken, Blossoms Detroit, Jumbo’s Bar, The Bottom Line Coffee House, Third Street Bar, the annual Dally in the Alley and more.
MLK / Mack Ave Station
(Woodward and Martin Luther King JR. Blvd / Mack Ave) At this stop (SB) and (NB) you are steps away from the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fischer Music Center (Orchestra Hall) home of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra), Starbucks, Whole Foods Market, The Garden Theater, UofM Detroit Center, MSU Detroit Center, Grey Ghost, Second Best, New Order Coffee, The Scott luxury apartments, WSU Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy an Health Sciences, Detroit Medical Center, Bonstelle Theatre, Detroit One Coney, Pho Lucky and Empire Kitchen. To the west on Cass is the HUB / Back Alley Bikes, Canine to Five, Detroit’s Chinatown featuring 8 Degrees Plato BeerCo, The Peterboro, Iconic Tattoo, The Detroit Shipping Co. container food park and future Founder’s Taproom.
Sibley Station
(Woodward and Sibley) Little Caesar’s Arena, home of the Red Wings and Pistons as well as the Mike Ilitch School of Business. Also around the corner is the largest Masonic Temple in the country featuring concerts and local events like Theatre Bizarre and Detroit Derby Girls. Also in the neighborhood is Cass Technical High School, Harry’s Bar, Temple Bar and Brush Park. In Brush Park you can get coffee, beer and food at Saucy Brew Works and Brush Park Bodega. The new arena is ringed with parking garages if you want to park there first then explore on the Q.
Foxtown Station
(Woodward and Montcalm) Hockeytown Cafe, St. John’s Church, Fox Theater, Little Caesars Headquarters, City Theater, Union Assembly, Mom’s Spaghetti, Frita Batidos, Sahara Restaurant and The Fillmore. On Park Street is The Colony Club, Town Pump, Bookies Bar & Grille, Cliff Bell’s. Just a short walk to the new Bucharest on W. Columbia.
Grand Circus Station
(Woodward and Witherell) Exit here for Comerica Park, Central United Methodist Church, Tin Roof Detroit, Elwood Diner, Ford Field, Detroit Athletic Club, Gem Theater, Detroit Opera House, Music Hall, La Casa Cigar Bar, Harmonie Park, Vertical Wine Bar, Colors, The Ashley, Dilla’s Delights, Detroit Beer Co, Small Plates, Dooped Donuts. To the west on Adams is Brass Rail Pizza, The Royce, District Seventy8, PAO Detroit and Beacon Park. At the top of downtown Detroit’s central business district are the recently restored David Whitney Building and David Broderick Tower. Board the People Mover (elevated rail) here. Places of note on Woodward: Aloft Hotel, Broderick Grille, Bleu Detroit Nightclub, Wright and Company, John Varvatos, Cornerstone Barrel House, Luluemon, House of Pure Vin, Bonobos, Madewell, San Morello, Shinola Hotel, Nike Store, Moosejaw, Avalon International Breads & GSTV. West on Griswold is Downtown Louie’s Lounge, Isaac Agree Synagogue, Cafe D’Mongos Speakeasy, Urban Bean Co, Lovers Only, Detroit Institute of Music Education, La Pecora Nera, Dessert Oasis Coffee Roasters, Capitol Park, City Bark, La Lanterna pizza, Archdiocese of Detroit, Prime and Proper, Bad Luck Bar. East on Farmer is Queen’s Bar, YMCA, Vincente’s Cuban, Citizen Yoga, Blumz, Z Lot parking and street art experience, The Belt Alley, The Skip, Standby and Detroit Public Library.
Campus Martius Station
(Woodward and Michigan Ave) From here you are walking distance from Avalon Cafe and Kitchen, Calexico Detroit, Texas de Brazil, Compuware, Quicken Loans, Campus Martius Park, Parc Restaurant, Shake Shack, Michigan Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument, Starbucks, Potbelly Sandwich Shop, Dime Store, Bon Bon Bon Detroit, Maru Sushi & Grill, Drive Table Tennis Social Club, Carnival Fresh Mex and Fort Street Galley. West on Michigan Ave is American Coney Island, Lafayette Coney Island, 24 Grille, Westin Book Cadillac Hotel, Roast, Holiday Inn, Big City Bar and the Rosa Parks Transit Center. To the east on Monroe is Greektown. Greektown Casino is at the far end of Monroe Street.
Congress Station
(Woodward and Congress) End of the line. From this station you are a few blocks from the Detroit People Mover Financial District Station. Within walking distance to the west is The Guardian Building, Buhl Bar, Domino’s Pizza, Jimmy John’s, London Chop House, Caucus Club, 211 Ultra Lounge, Subway, Detroit Foundation Hotel, The Apparatus Room, Tommy’s Bar & Grill, Historic Fort Street Church and TCF Center. To the east is Grand Trunk Pub, Whiskey Parlor, Besa, Townhouse Detroit, Central Kitchen, Roasting Plant, Checker Bar, Greenwich Time, Ready Player One Barcade, The Keep, Sweetwater Tavern, Jacoby’s, The Elephant Room and Saint Andrews Hall. To the south is the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center (City Hall), Spirit of Detroit Statue and Plaza, Monument to Joe Louis (Fist), Hart Plaza, Mariners Church, Detroit Windsor Tunnel, the Renaissance Center and the beautiful Detroit River Walk.
For a car-less journey into downtown, start by taking one of the SMART FAST buses in from Gratiot, Woodward or Michigan Ave or ride DDOT’s Woodward Bus.
For information on Detroit’s architecture history, check out http://www.historicdetroit.org/buildings/
*Note: I will try and keep this updated as more stores open or close!
