QLINE: What You Need To Know
The QLINE is open to the public. Here’s how to ride.
For the first time in 60 years, a streetcar will travel the streets of Detroit. The QLINE opens to the public Friday. But Detroiters will have to learn how to ride the system and how to drive and ride alongside it.
Here’s what you need to know:
Riding the QLINE:
Hours:
Monday – Thursday: 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Friday: 6 a.m. to 12 a.m.
Saturday: 8 a.m. to 12 a.m.
Sunday: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
All cars are ADA accessible. Inside the cars, audio announcements and visual displays will provide information about stops.
Bike racks are located in the middle car. Straps are in the middle car for standing passengers.
Stop buttons are located on poles for riders to indicate when they want to get off.
Fare:
Fare can be purchased with cash on the streetcar, with debit or credit at stations, and online or on the “QLINE Detroit” app.
Cost:
$1.50 – 3 hours of unlimited rides
$3 – daily passes
$30 – monthly pass
$285 – annual pass
Stations:
There are 12 stops and 20 stations along the Woodward Corridor.
Each station has a screen that indicates how far away the next car is.
Stations are heated.
Each station is level with the line for accessibility.
Driving with the QLINE:
The QLINE will not exceed the 30 mph speed limit on Woodward Avenue.
The car rides curbside for most of the route but will switch to riding in the center lane near North End and at Congress Street downtown.
A “transit only” light is set up at intersections to allow the QLINE a 45-second head start to switch from right lane to center lane.
The trains weigh about 87,000 pounds and take longer to stop than an average car. Motorists are advised not to tailgate or cut off the street car.
Brake lights are built into the car to signal when the QLINE is stopping.
Parking with QLINE:
Drivers should park within the white lines on the road and not block the rail.
Any car double parked or on parked on the rail will be ticketed and towed.
Some parking in front of some businesses has been moved to side streets during construction to make way for the line. Be aware of “No Parking or Standing” signs.
You can find parking maps on the QLINE’s website.
Pedestrians and Bicyclists:
Because the QLINE takes a while to stop, pedestrians should avoid jaywalking and only cross at crosswalks.
Bicyclists are advised to find alternate routes to ride along. If riding a bike along Woodward, cyclists should walk their bikes across the rails to avoid the tires getting stuck.
The QLINE is equipped with loud horns to warn that it is coming.
Security:
Transit Police officers will be present on trains to help ensure the safety of riders and verify that fare has been paid. These are the same officers who patrol DDOT buses and the Detroit People Mover.
There are cameras and emergency phones in the streetcar.
The Car:
The streetcar will serve 3.3 miles along Woodward Avenue, making stops in North End, New Center, Midtown and Downtown neighborhoods. It takes about 45 minutes to make a complete loop. Trained drivers operate the car.
The car is 66 feet long, has 35 seats, and can accommodate up to 125 people per car. Each car has air conditioning and heating.
It runs on a 750-volt lithium ion battery and runs 60 percent of the time off-wire.
M-1 Rail currently owns and operates six street cars, at most times four cars will be on the road.
