is downtown detroit safe at night? (Shelby, Grant: crime rate, hotels, safest area)

[deckhead]

is downtown detroit safe at night?

the reason why i am asking is that i am getting the bus down from montreal and ill arrive there friday nite. so i am thinking of walking from the bus stop to where im staying. its only a couple of blocks away from where im staying the bus stop on howard street.

but is it worth the risk of walking? ven tho it'll only be a 10min walk. im coming down for movement

[MaryleeII]

Originally Posted by deckhead

is downtown detroit safe at night?

the reason why i am asking is that i am getting the bus down from montreal and ill arrive there friday nite. so i am thinking of walking from the bus stop to where im staying. its only a couple of blocks away from where im staying the bus stop on howard street.

but is it worth the risk of walking? ven tho it'll only be a 10min walk. im coming down for movement

NO

I assume you're taking the Greyhound? that area is one of the worse in Downtown Detroit. I doubt you could even find a taxi late at night, and if you did, they won't take a 10-min fare.

Try to change your plans so you can arrive in the daytime. BTW, how do they handle customs, etc, Montreal--Detroit?

[animatedmartian]

It's far from being the worst area to walk in Detroit at night. But it's pretty dark and empty. How late at night are you arriving? If it's before midnight, I'd say you'd have less of a risk.

[deckhead]

ill get there at 12.20

where im staying is washington blvd. so its not too far away

[maclock]

April 2012 -- Shooting during mid-morning:

Man shot at Greyhound bus station in Detroit | The Detroit News | detroitnews.com

Man Shot Outside Greyhound Bus Station in Detroit


June 2011 -- Shooting just after midnight:

1 dead in shooting at Detroit Greyhound station | MLive.com

Shooting outside Detroit's Greyhound bus station leaves one man dead, another in the hospital


If you can't afford to fly or if you don't want to fly, then you might want to consider taking the train to Windsor and using the Tunnel Bus or catching a cab. As you're a young man, you might be able to get an ISIC (International Student Identity Card). ISICs used to get holders good fares on VIA once upon a time. I don't know if that's still the case or, indeed, if you're even eligible for an ISIC. This advice presumes, of course, that your Greyhound ticket is refundable and that you're interested in rebooking.

A youth fare on VIA Rail, for which you qualify on age alone, is $181.66, taxes included, for one-way travel on Friday, departing Montreal at 06:45 a.m. aboard Train 53 for Toronto. At Toronto, you'd appear to have a short 39 minute connection, pulling into Windsor at 4:26 p.m., but a strike-related delay en route could result in you having a three-hour long layover before you board an onward train to Windsor, with a revised arrival time in Windsor of 9:59 p.m. should you miss your first connecting train in Toronto owing to delays.

There are also still seats available for Train 57, which departs Montreal for Toronto at 10:10 a.m., and Train 61, which departs Montreal for Toronto at 11:50 a.m. Connecting trains between Toronto and Windsor would see you pulling into Windsor station anywhere between 9:59 p.m. and 11:10 p.m. All are $181.66, taxes included, for one-way travel on Friday.


Crossing Made Easy

Taxi from Windsor rail station to Detroit - Detroit Message Board - TripAdvisor

[Coldjensens]

I walk around Downtown occaisionally at night. I generally stay watchful and avoid anyone that even might be quesitonable. If you see people, just walk on a different street. Usually there is no one around.

Generally, I would not walk around alone that late at the Greyhound station. It would not bother me much to walk in a group. In your shoes, I woudl probably walk, but I woudl be a bit nervous.

If you do decide to walk, talk to someone on your cell phone while you are walking. That way if anyone is considering approaching you, they know that you are already connected with someone whoc an call the police for you. You can even go as far to describe or photograph anyone who approaches you. It may not be necessary, and you may not encounter anyone at all, but it costs you little or nothing to talk to someone while you are walking and it can be a good deterrent.

If you are uncomfrtable, call the police department ahead of time and see if they will have someone swing by the station at your arrival time to make certain there are no problems. Detroit is ver image conscious right now and if they can avoid a tourist incident, they may be willing to go out of their way. Of course, even if they agree to meet you, if there is some major event that occurs, they will not show up.

A cab is probably safer, but some of the cabs and drivers are kind of scary in Detroit, especially at night. If you are going to take a cab, make arrangements ahead of time so you are not jumping into a random cab in the middle of the night. Also check with your hotel. Many hotels have shuttle services that will pick you up for free.

[Coldjensens]

From an article in another thread:

Brown, a former deputy chief in the department, said downtown Detroit is the "safest area of any part of the region per capita, according to FBI crime data. Beyond this point, the crime rate in downtown Detroit is 37 percent less than the national average."

From The Detroit News: Detroit racks up eight killings, 33 shootings in last five days | The Detroit News | detroitnews.com

[deckhead]

Well I have my ticket already for the bus now so i can't change it. looks like i will have to take a chance.

i will just have to try and get a taxi to where i am staying as fast as i can. so i can get out of the bus station ha

sure will there not be security guards in the bus station?

[deckhead]

so are you saying detroit downtown is safer then other parts of detroit since it says "37 percent less than the national average" ?

[animatedmartian]

Yea it is. That's not to say crime doesn't happen downtown; it's still an urban area, but relative to Detroit's neighborhoods, it's pretty good.

But it is very empty.



Granted, this picture was taken in November around 6 o clock, but you get a general idea of what it will look like. The hotel is on the right of the picture.

Then again, there's bound to be a lot of people from out of town who are also heading to the Movement so there might be quite a few groups wandering around. (Shelby Hotel is on the left side in the background).