If you are going to the Detroit Tigers' rescheduled home opener Friday, Transit Windsor has a heads-up for you.
With the Opening Day game against the Pittsburgh Pirates postponed due to rain on Thursday, the Tigers will try again Friday with a scheduled 1:10pm first pitch. But if you depend on the tunnel bus to get to Comerica Park, Transit Windsor says dedicated service to the ballpark will be limited.
Transit Windsor executive director Pat Delmore says it's because Good Friday is a statutory holiday in Canada and there will be fewer drivers working. He says if baseball fans want to take the bus right to the ballpark, they need to get to the bus station early to avoid missing some of the festivities.
"We will have some limited extra special event service, but we want to caution users that delays could be a factor," says Delmore in a news release.
On a typical day where the tunnel bus goes to events at Comerica Park, Ford Field, or Little Caesars Arena, buses are usually lined up after the event. But Delmore says with fewer drivers working Friday, fans should head to the bus stop right after the game is over.
"On a normal special event day, we would have one bus lining up after another following a game, but due to the holiday we won't be able to have that same volume of buses available," says Delmore.
Direct buses to Comerica Park will leave the downtown bus terminal beginning at 10:30am Friday, with subsequent trips based on passenger demand. The dedicated bus stop for the ballpark is on Gratiot Ave near Ford Field.
For every Tigers game this season, dedicated ballpark buses will leave the downtown terminal at 75 minutes and 45 minutes before the scheduled first pitch. Return trips begin after the final out and up to 30 minutes after.
Delmore says, however, that regular tunnel bus service to Detroit will continue every 30 minutes on Good Friday, though this will follow the usual route and not drop passengers off near the ballpark. Baseball fans can then walk, take the People Mover, or use the new Q-Line to get to the game.
Cost is $5 each way, with both U.S. and Canadian currency accepted, exact change only. Bus passes are available at the downtown bus terminal. Be sure to have your passport or other travel documents ready to avoid delays at the border crossing.
