Detroit’s Michigan Central Station Is Getting Trains Again—Well, Sort of

From 1913 to 1988, Michigan Central Station was truly the heartbeat of Detroit travel. It was the spot where thousands of people came and went every single day. Families said their goodbyes, soldiers shipped out, and newcomers stepped off the train ready to start fresh in Michigan. It was kind of like the state’s own Ellis Island. Then one day, it all stopped, and for decades, the station sat there empty.

Passenger Trains Are Finally Returning to Michigan Central

Now it’s finally getting some life back. Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced this week that passenger trains would be coming back to Michigan Central Station, and honestly, it’s about time. The place has already been buzzing again thanks to Ford’s massive restoration project, but this takes it to a whole new level.

According to Fox 2 Detroit, the plan is to turn the Michigan Central campus into a full transportation hub, with forty million dollars going toward research and engineering.

The Train Stop Isn’t Where You Think

The funny thing is, the trains won’t actually stop inside the building. The new platform will sit just west of it, within walking distance, and it’ll also serve as a bus stop.

The Amtrak route will extend the Chicago to Detroit Wolverine line all the way to Windsor and eventually Toronto. If everything goes as planned, trains could be rolling again by late 2028.