City guide
Detroit DTW: What to Do on a Layover
Eastern Market in 3 hours: street murals, kielbasa, Michigan cherry pie.
Getting from the airport
DTW to city center: 55 minutes by bus (SMART 261). Fare is $2. Trains run every 30 minutes. Service runs 05:30 to 22:00. Skip the taxi unless your connection is under 5 hours.
What to do in Detroit
The stops worth making: Detroit Institute of Arts, Motown Museum, Detroit Riverwalk, Eastern Market food hall. You do not need the full tourist circuit. Pick two and commit.
Visa and entry
Detroit is visa-free for US passports. No application, no fee. The border process at DTW is standard. Budget 30 minutes.
How long do you need
Plan for at least 5 hours to leave the airport comfortably. The transit alone is 55 minutes each way. Up to 24 hours makes it a proper overnight.
DTW airport
DTW has 7 lounges. For short connections under 4 hours, the terminal is the destination: food options, showers, and enough space to reset before the next leg.