BlaakLane.com offers chauffeur service in Ann Arbor for Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) transfers, University of Michigan and Michigan Medicine visits, football Saturdays at Michigan Stadium, and trips to Detroit, Lansing and Toronto. Book online and the reservation engine shows a fixed fare before you confirm. Trips are driven by a vetted local affiliate; the confirmation names the operator and chauffeur.
Ann Arbor car service: how booking works
Give the pickup, the destination, the date and time, and a vehicle class. For DTW, the flight number is enough. You see one fixed price, including chauffeur, fuel and the included waiting time, and you confirm. The 24/7 desk in Toronto assigns the trip to a vetted Southeast Michigan affiliate held to the BlaakLane.com written standard, and the confirmation names the operator and chauffeur. There is no meter and no surge after a game.
Detroit Metro Airport (DTW) to Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor's airline airport is Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport in Romulus, about 25 miles east on I-94. DTW has two terminals. The McNamara Terminal handles Delta and its partners and most international flights; the Evans Terminal handles the other airlines. Pre-arranged cars meet passengers at the designated areas of each terminal's Ground Transportation Center, and the chauffeur sends the exact spot by text after landing. Meet and greet in baggage claim with a name board is an add-on; add-ons are only available in selected locations.
Flight tracking times the chauffeur to the real landing. Waiting included: 60 minutes on international arrivals, which clear US Customs and Border Protection at DTW, 30 minutes on domestic flights and 15 minutes on other pickups; after that, 15-minute blocks. The drive to downtown Ann Arbor usually takes 25 to 35 minutes, longer in snow. See airport transfers.
Private and charter aircraft use Willow Run Airport (YIP) in Ypsilanti, about 15 minutes from campus, or Ann Arbor Municipal Airport south of the city. The private aviation desk arranges FBO pickups.
Drive times from Ann Arbor
| Route | Distance | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| DTW airport to downtown Ann Arbor | 25 miles | 25-35 min |
| Ann Arbor to downtown Detroit | 43 miles | 45-60 min |
| Ann Arbor to Dearborn | 35 miles | 35-45 min |
| Ann Arbor to Lansing | 65 miles | 60-75 min |
| Ann Arbor to Toledo, Ohio | 50 miles | 50-60 min |
| Ann Arbor to Grand Rapids | 130 miles | 2-2.5 hours |
| Ann Arbor to Toronto (via Detroit-Windsor) | 280 miles | 4.5-5.5 hours plus border |
Campus, downtown and the medical centre
The University of Michigan shapes the city. Central Campus meets downtown along State Street, with Hill Auditorium, the Michigan Union and the Diag. Main Street is the restaurant spine, and Kerrytown to the north holds the farmers' market and small shops. South University Avenue borders the campus to the south-east. North Campus, across the Huron River, houses the engineering and music schools, and Michigan Medicine's hospitals sit on the hill between the two campuses. Research parks and company offices are spread along Plymouth Road, State Street south of I-94 and in neighbouring Ypsilanti. For regular visitor travel to campus or the hospital, set up corporate accounts with monthly invoicing.
Football Saturdays at the Big House
Michigan Stadium holds more than 107,000 people, and home games in September, October and November change the whole city. Streets around the stadium close hours before kickoff, parking fills early, and traffic on I-94 and US-23 backs up on both sides of the game. A chauffeur can drop you at an agreed point outside the closures and wait for a set return time, but you should expect a walk. Book a Sprinter for a group so everyone travels together, and book early: hotels and cars sell out for rivalry and night games. The University of Michigan Athletics site lists schedules.
Where visitors stay
Frequent pickups include the Graduate Ann Arbor, the Bell Tower Hotel and The Campus Inn near campus, the Residence Inn and The Kensington Hotel off State Street, and hotels along Plymouth Road near North Campus. Commencement weekend in late April or early May fills every room in Washtenaw County.
Events by month
- March: the Ann Arbor Film Festival, one of the oldest experimental film festivals in North America.
- Late April or early May: University of Michigan commencement.
- June to early July: the Ann Arbor Summer Festival, with Top of the Park outdoor events.
- July: the Ann Arbor Art Fair, usually in the third week, closing large parts of downtown.
- September to November: Michigan football home games.
Check Destination Ann Arbor for current dates.
Which vehicle to choose
A Standard Sedan fits a visiting professor or recruiter. An executive SUV is the default in winter and for three passengers with luggage. A Standard Black SUV or Sprinter Van moves a family on graduation weekend or a team on a football Saturday; minicoaches and motorcoaches handle conference and alumni groups. Stretch limousines and Rolls-Royce, Maybach and Bentley cars come from partners. All nine classes are on the fleet, and rates explains what the fare covers. Every vehicle is four model years old or younger.
To Detroit, Toronto and other cities
Ann Arbor travellers book cars to Detroit for meetings, sports and concerts, to Grand Rapids, and across the border to Windsor and Toronto. The Canadian crossing is at the Ambassador Bridge or the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel; each passenger needs a valid passport and the entry documents Canada requires. Intercity transfers covers one-way pricing.
Train and bus
Amtrak's Wolverine service stops at the Ann Arbor station on Depot Street, with trains toward Detroit and Pontiac in one direction and Kalamazoo and Chicago in the other. A chauffeur can meet an arriving train. Details are on Amtrak.
Hospital visits and patient families
Michigan Medicine draws patients and families from across the state and beyond, often for multi-day stays. Travellers arriving at DTW for an appointment can book a car straight to the hospital entrance or to a hotel nearby, then a return when the visit ends. Tell the desk if a passenger uses a wheelchair or walker so the right vehicle is sent, and give the building name, since the medical campus has several entrances and parking structures. Child seats are free on request. For visiting clinicians and research partners, the university departments and companies that host them can book through a corporate profile.
Driving notes
Michigan drives on the right. There are no road tolls within the state apart from the international bridges and tunnel to Canada. Winter brings snow and freezing rain from December to March, and construction closes lanes on I-94 and US-23 in summer.
Cancellation
More than 72 hours before pickup, no charge. 72 hours or less, 10%. 48 hours or less, 50%. 24 hours or less or a no-show, 100%. Child seats are free on request.
