marseilles train tour

The Little Toursit Train of Marseille

Le little train tour: in the heart of old marseille.

The little train: ideal for admiring Marseille without getting tired. The speed of the train allows you to take beautiful pictures. You will explore the streets of Le Panier, the Old Port, up to the Bonne Mère, but also Friuli if you make the crossing. 3 tours in total to visit the Phocaean city in all tranquility.

174 quai du Port, 150 metres from the Town Hall

1h05 with a 30 min stop

Round trip fares

8€ for adults / 4€ for children (between 3 and 11 years old)

Little Train visit: Salute the Bonne Mère

This is undoubtedly the route most requested by visitors, the "Notre Dame de la Garde" circuit. It must be said that it is climbing pretty high and that the idea of climbing the Chemin de Croix in the middle of summer does not appeal to everyone. A circuit that does not only stop at La Bonne Mère, but also passes through the Corniche Kennedy to admire Vallon des Auffes, the Friuli Islands and Château d'If . From April to October, departures take place every 20 minutes from 10am to 12:20pm and from 1:40pm to 6:20pm. From November to March, departures take place every 40 minutes or every hour and a half depending on the number of people, from 10am to 12pm and from 2pm to 4pm.

1h20 with a 30 min stop

Friuli Little Train: off Marseille

The third and last tour is of the Friuli islands, avaimable only during the summer season from July 1st to September 1st. Visit the island without getting tired, and discover the Caroline Hospital, Sainte Estève beach or Fort Ratonneau which gives a magnificent view of the Château d'If and the bay of Marseille.

In front of the pier, depending on the arrivals of the maritime shuttles.

30 min approximately

Round trip prices

4€ for adults / 2€ for children (between 3 and 11 years old)

4€ pour les adultes / 2€ pour les enfants (entre 3 et 11 ans)

Zoom On 

Professionels accédez à vos services

professionnels du tourisme

• Tourist Buses

Small Tourist Train of Marseille

• Add to favorites

This circuit will take you from the Old Port to Notre Dame de la Garde, passing by the corniche, by the sea, where you will discover its riches, such as Fort Saint Jean and Fort Saint Nicolas, the Palais du Pharo, the Abbaye St Victor, the breathtaking view of the Pont de la Fausse Monnaie, Château Valmer and the famous Vallon des Auffes. In the background, you will admire the islands of Frioul and the Château d'If. The train will then branch off to take you to the Vallon de l'Oriol where you will discover magnificent “Marseilles” residences, clinging to the hillside. You will then climb up to an altitude of 162 meters where the Good Mother watches over Marseille and the people of Marseille. At this place, a grandiose spectacle will be offered to you with a breathtaking 360° panorama of the city. After a necessary and required break time (a train every 30 minutes), the walk will continue and you will dive into the city passing in front of the famous Ferry-Boat, on the Old Port.

Circuit 2: Old Marseille and the Terrasses du Port, which will take you to the famous Panier district OPEN FROM APRIL 1 TO DECEMBER 31

> Reviews on Trip Advisor

• Dominique Milherou
• The Old Port of Marseille
• City Hall District

Tourisme-Marseille.com - Blog & Interactive Map

• Colorbüs Marseille – City tours Hop on Hop off, since 2003
• Quai du Port, 13002 Marseille

Tourisme-Marseille.com is a personal, unofficial site for discovering and exploring the past, present and future of Marseille via an interactive map comprising 1500 files that evolve with changes and current events in Marseille. .

Circuit 2 Vieux Marseille - Terrasses du Port

Tour details, train departure.

174 Quai du Port 13002 Marseille

Adults: €10 Children: €5

Before taking you to the oldest districts of Marseille, this tour will introduce you to magnificent monuments such as the Hôtel de Cabre, the Hôtel Dieu, the church of St Laurent and the magnificent Cathédrale de la Major. The train will then take you past the former Vieille Charité hospice, which has been completely renovated and now houses the famous Musée d'Art Africain, Océanien et Amérindien (Museum of African, Oceanic and Amerindian Art). During this stopover, you can discover the picturesque Panier district, with its narrow streets, pedestrian areas and welcoming squares where life is good (Place de Lenche, Place des Moulins...). You'll love browsing through the artists' boutiques (paintings, ceramics, pottery, etc.). This discovery of the heart of Old Marseille is full of surprises and will delight the most curious.

The second possible drop-off point is in front of Les Docks.

The tour includes the Docks, the Joliette, the Halles de la Major and the Mucem.

Overview of the route

Contact / booking, for information and bookings.

• Marseille Experience

Choose your experience

• All our offers

Marseille as a gift!

Marseille experience gift vouchers.

A selection of activities for a unique experience!

• I reserve my gift voucher

I book my guided tour

• All our guided tours in Marseille

Valid for 24, 48 or 72 hours, visit Marseille thanks to an all-inclusive formula!

• Public transports (option)
• Boat to If Castle and Frioul islands
• Tasting and small gifts
• Touristic bus and small train
• Reduced prices

Blog Marseille Experience

• Discover the whole Marseille Experience Blog

Things to do

Book your hotel

From To Room Double room Single room

🪼🤿🐟 BAPTÊME DE PLONGÉE 🐙🌊🐚 Venez vivre une aventure sous-marine fascinante !! 🤿🤿🤿 Vous connaissez le Parc National des Calanques pour ses paysages époustouflants au-dessus de l'eau mais il regorge de trésors qui vous émerveilleront dans ses profondeurs 💙 Pensez à apporter votre maillot de bain 👙🩳 et votre enthousiasme 😃, on se charge de l’équipement de plongée nécessaire afin que vous puissiez profiter pleinement de cette aventure ! Prêts à plonger ?? 🐬 Dites nous en commentaires avec qui vous aimeriez vivre cette expérience !! 👯‍♂️ 📍 parc_national_des_calanques 📷 fabricedudenhofer 🤿 aureliep88 & Margaux — 📞 04 91 72 54 12 📩 [email protected] 🌳 linktr.ee/atelierdelamer #PlongeeSousMarine #AventureAquatique #DecouverteSousLesVagues #baptemedeplongée #marseillevilledaventure #marseilleexperience

Circuit en mer 🚤 Prêt(e)s à embarquer pour une balade en mer à bord d’une barquette Marseillaise et partir à la découverte du patrimoine historique Marseillais ? ⚓ Montez à bord d’une barquette historique au Vieux-Port et naviguez à travers les eaux pour découvrir sous un nouvel angle le Palais du Pharo, la Bonne Mère, le Mucem... 🧭 Parfait en groupe, entre amis ou en famille pour profiter d’une balade en mer agréable et divertissante ! 😄 🕒 Durée : 2 heures 💸À partir de : 350 € 📅 Tous les jours Lien pour réserver dans la bio 🎟️ #marseille #marseilleexperience #activites #circuit #barquette #choosemarseille #visitmarseille #cestmarseillebb #marseilleworld #instamarseille #provence

ACTIVITÉ INÉDITE Envie d’une découverte atypique en side-car en direction des Gorges du Verdon ? 🕶️ Traversez le lac d’Esparron et profiter d’une vue imprenable sur le paysage en roulant à travers les routes provençales. 🤩 “Ride in style” comme Indiana Jones pour une expérience mémorable ! 🤠 🕒 Durée : 7h 💸 À partir de : 619 € 📅 Tous les jours Lien pour réserver dans la bio 🎟️ #marseille #marseilleexperience #activites #sidecar #GorgesduVerdon #choosemarseille #visitmarseille #cestmarseillebb #marseilleworld #instamarseille #provence

VISITE GUIDÉE Envie d’explorer l'un des 111 quartiers qui composent la ville de Marseille ? 🏘️ Pourquoi ne pas découvrir le quartier de Mazargues, un village de pêcheurs sans la mer, célèbre pour son obélisque situé au bout du Boulevard Michelet ! 🏛️ Visitez ce village aux portes des Calanques afin d’en apprendre plus sur la cité phocéenne. 🎣 🕒 Durée : 1h30 💸 À partir de : 12 € 📅 Le 21 février Lien pour réserver dans la bio 🎟️ #marseille #marseilleexperience #activites #visiteguidée #Mazargues #choosemarseille #visitmarseille #cestmarseillebb #marseilleworld #instamarseille #provence

ACTIVITÉ EN PLEIN AIR Pédalez jusqu’aux Calanques grâce à ce tour en e-bike !🚲 Cette balade guidée vous emmènera du Vieux-Port puis le long du littoral marseillais pour une journée en vélo inoubliable. 😍 Une activité sportive à ne surtout pas rater en famille ou entre amis ! 👌 🕒 Durée : 7h30 💸À partir de : 79 € 📅Tous les jours Lien pour réserver dans la bio 🎟️ #marseille #marseilleexperience #activites #vélo #calanques #choosemarseille #visitmarseille #cestmarseillebb #marseilleworld #instamarseille #provence

apuntando a marsella. .. . #marseille #choosemarseille #marseilleexperience #fieldscope #instagood #photooftheday #picoftheday #instalike #decisivemoment #instagram #landscape #luis_lainez #luislainez #traveler #miradzoom #urbanandstreet #urban photography #instagramers #canonespana #CanonEspaña #canonistas

🤍🌊 • • • #calanques #sormiou #calanquesdemarseille #calanquedesormiou #mer #sea #moments #balade #randonnée #walking #pictureoftheday #picoftheday #instagram #instagood #marseilleexperience

MARSEILLE [Bouches-du-Rhône] Encore une photo du Panier mais il faut dire qu'on a vraiment adoré cet endroit ! Dans notre tout dernier article, on vous partage toutes nos bonnes adresses dans le plus vieux quartier de la ville 😍 * * * #marseille #igersmarseille #marseille_focus_on #choosemarseille #marseilleexperience #visitmarseille #marseillecity #myprovence #provence #provencetourisme #pacatourisme #sudest_focus_on #sudest #jaimelapaca #beautifuldestinations

Complétez: les îles du Frioul vues depuis … 🧐😘 #marseille #frioul #massilia #plusbellelavie #ilesdufrioul #chateaudif #marseillebébé #provence #lebonair #plusbellevilledumonde #cartepostale #marseilleexperience #choosemarseille #cheznousamarseille #beautifulmarseille #calanques #parking #notredamedelagarde #labonnemere #marseilles

VISITE GUIDÉE EN FAMILLE Voyagez dans le temps à Marseille et redécouvrez l'époque de Louis XIV avec ce jeu de piste historique ! ⚜️ Résolvez les énigmes pour démasquer le conspirateur qui complote contre le roi et plongez au cœur de l’intrigue. 🗝️ Découvrez les quartiers historiques de Marseille avec cette visite ludique à faire en famille ! 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 🕒 Durée : 2 heures 💸À partir de : 15 € 📅 Le 20 janvier, 17 février, et le 2 mars Lien pour réserver dans la bio 🎟️ #marseille #marseilleexperience #activites #visiteguidée #jeudepiste #choosemarseille #visitmarseille #cestmarseillebb #marseilleworld #instamarseille #provence

• Professionals

How to get around France: from cycling to traversing by train

May 18, 2024 • 7 min read

A high speed train zips over the Cize-Bolozon viaduct, a combination rail and vehicular bridge over the Ain gorge © Gregory_DUBUS / Getty Images

With cyclists in the French capital outnumbering carbon-spewing motorists and short-haul domestic flights outlawed in 2023, getting around la belle France has never been so green.

In the 1980s the country’s emblematic TGV ( train à grande vitesse or high-speed train) turned heads. Now it is its omnipresent green mobility – spearheaded by an eco-smart capital city stitched from 900-odd miles of cycling lanes and rural landscapes flush with drop-dead-gorgeous hiking, biking and e-biking trails – that trumps. France’s drive to achieve carbon neutrality for land transport by 2050 is fierce.  

Away from cities and towns, motoring remains the most convenient way to cruise through France’s magnificent kaleidoscope of châteaux, farmsteads, wineries and village idylls – albeit at a price. Filling up in France is pricier than the European average and you pay tolls to use the country’s sleek network of autoroutes (highways). Public transport is scarce or non-existent in many rural areas, with buses on school routes filling some gaps on weekdays at least.

Getting around by train – state-of-the-art speedy or gloriously slow – has never lost its edge. In the Alps, Pyrenees and other mountainous areas, a fleet of cable cars and funiculars encourage France curios to scale fabulous new heights. Bon voyage!

Ride the rails to soak up stunning scenery

Cruising the length of the celebrity French Riviera by slow train, lurching sharply up mountain to France’s longest glacier , pulling into Nice aboard a millennial reincarnation of the mythical Bleu Train, or plunging into Pyrenean backcountry aboard an old-world steam train : train journeys in France are invariably breathtakingly scenic.

Frequent, reliable, affordable trains operated by SNCF zip cover much of the country. Principal rail lines radiate out from Paris like wheel spokes: getting between towns on different spokes can be slow or require a laborious change of trainline and gare (station) in Paris. High-speed TGV trains make light work of long-distance routes (count just over two hours from Paris to Bordeaux , three hours to Marseille ) and require an advance seat reservation. Book in advance to bag cheaper fares.

An adventure in itself, you can also catch an Intercité de nuit (domestic night train) from Paris to Nice, Toulouse , Lourdes, Perpignan and Aurillac in cheesy Cantal in central France.

Riding French rails several times a year? Consider a Carte Avantage discount card. Watch for brilliant seasonal and/or regional deals: France’s €49 summer rail pass covers unlimited travel for anyone under 27 in July and August on regional TER and Intercity trains. 

Tip for calculating carbon-saving: Download the SNCF Connect app to consult train schedules in real time, check rail deals and buy tickets. In return, once a year, SNCF sends you an annual tally of your train mileage and CO2 emissions saved by trading car for train.

Follow this itinerary for a car-free day-trip on the Côte d’Azur

Rent a car to get under the skin of rural France

With infrequent or non-existent public transport, a car is the only realistic option for exploring mountainous or overtly rural areas like the French Alps , Pyrenees , Lot, Dordogne and volcano-spawned Auvergne . Many impossibly charming chambres d’hôtes (B&Bs) – in centuries-old farms, renovated oil mills and châteaux – are lost in vineyards or down isolated country lanes.

Pick up wheels at major rental outlets at airports and train stations in major towns; many have electric vehicles. Reserve well in advance during busier periods (July and August, December to March during peak ski season). Cut cost with an online car-rental platform such as Getaround .

Rental vehicles picked up at Grenoble , Lyon and Geneva (Switzerland) airports in winter are automatically fitted with winter tires – required by law in mountainous areas between 1 November and 31 March. Road signs indicate when snow chains in addition are compulsory during snowy conditions.

Once on the road, drive on the right. At automated toll booths on highways (motorways), an illuminated green arrow indicates cash payment, a white card symbol payment by card. Watch out for France’s unique priorité au droite rule whereby traffic entering an intersection from a road on the right has priority. In villages and small towns particularly, beware of motorists suddenly zipping out in front of you from a lane on the right.

Tip for tracking traffic conditions: Dodge bouchons (traffic jams) on larger roads and highways with Bison Futé , an app to check traffic and road conditions in real time, availability of electric-charging stations, etc.

Planning to do some motoring in France? Save these best road trips

Cruise on a budget: rideshare

If you don’t drive or want the hassle of constantly having a car in tow, split fuel costs and motor from A to B with another motorist. Covoiturage (ridesharing) has been around for decades in France and bagging a ride with BlaBlaCar or similar rideshare app is not difficult. Practice your French at the same time!

Many French cities have a public car-sharing scheme; zip around Paris on an electric moped with Cityscoot . Self-service electric cars accessible via the Mobilize Share app are available for an hour, day or week/s in Lyon, Avignon, Nice and dozens more towns. Car-sharing platform Truro unlocks access to all sorts of wheels, 4WD vehicles to tackle off-road mountainous terrain, camper vans, beachy golf carts included.

Make the journey the destination afloat a ferry or boat

It’s worth slotting the Dordogne, Lot or Toulouse into your French itinerary, simply to kick back on deck, glass of chilled rosé in hand, and float beneath a tranquil green tunnel of plane trees along the UNESCO-listed Canal du Midi. Wine-rich Burgundy , the flamingo-specked Camargue , the Loire Valley and Brittany are other popular canal- and river-boating regions with superlative scenery in spades.

Sailing into the Vieux Port of A-lister St-Tropez is the only recommended way to arrive in the celebrity Riviera’s most desired town, a traffic-congested hell in high season; train it to St-Raphaël then hop aboard a boat operated by Les Bateaux Bleus. Dozens more shuttle boats and ferries yo-yo along the Mediterranean coast. Ditto for the Atlantic where the 30-minute Arcachon –Cap Ferret boat ride by way of oyster farms or the trip across choppy waters from ocean-faring Lorient to naturally wild, picture-book Breton islet Île de Groix are particularly memorable.

Tip to sail to paradise: Reserve boat tickets for Med island-idyll Île de Porquerolles, accessible from La Tour Fondue near Hyères, well in advance; this lush "Garden of Eden" paradise island is limited to 6000 visitors a day.

If canal boating in France piques your interest, read more here

Spin between châteaux, wineries and pretty villages on two wheels

Cycling has been huge in France for decades and as electric bikes gain traction, dedicated cycling paths mushroom, and themed cycling itineraries celebrating wine, wildlife, lakes, châteaux and all sorts boom, there really is no excuse not to join the peloton.

In Paris, Lyon, Marseille and other cities, public-sharing bikes and e-bikes make light work of longer urban distances along dedicated cycling lanes. Countrywide, long-distance bike-packing routes like Burgundy ’s Route des Grands Crus (500 miles/800km) and the Atlantic’s breathtaking coastal odyssey La Vélodyssée (807 miles/1300km) break down into convenient day and half-day soundbites, making them accessible to casual cyclists too.

Bike helmets are legally only required for children under 12, but most adults wear them too. If a rental shop doesn’t automatically offer you a helmet (common in laidback beach destinations such as Biarritz ) ask for one. Helmets are included in the rental price. The legal speed limit is 25km/h, including for e-bikes (45km/h for s-pedelecs with number plate). Forget spinning between chateaux to the beat of your favorite tune though, it’s illegal to cycle on roads using headphones or ear-pods.

Tip to trip plan: Source itineraries and download GPX files at France Vélo Tourisme , the definitive digital guide to exploring France by bike.

Accessible transportation in France

Despite the superabundance of cobbled streets, vertical villages teetering atop perilous crags and cafe terraces spilling inconveniently across pavements, inroads are being made to help  those with accessibility issues get around France more easily – even smoothly.

In Paris an excellent network of city buses with retractable ramps to get on board and raised pavements at bus stops compensate for an age-old, largely inaccessible metro; few elevators to access subterranean platforms actually function. Paris’ airports sport an Assistance Mobilité service to assist passengers, as does the country’s national train service SNCF . You can also rent an adaptive car through car-sharing service Wheeliz .

This article was first published Jun 4, 2021 and updated May 18, 2024.

Explore related stories

Tips & Advice

Jun 14, 2024 • 7 min read

Taste your way around Brittany through these 10 unique – and uniquely tasty – dishes and drinks, from savory crêpes to decadent salted-butter caramel.

Jun 13, 2024 • 7 min read

Jun 12, 2024 • 12 min read

Jun 7, 2024 • 12 min read

Jun 7, 2024 • 7 min read

Jun 6, 2024 • 8 min read

Jun 2, 2024 • 8 min read

May 29, 2024 • 4 min read

May 24, 2024 • 8 min read

• Arts & Entertainment

Thousands of fans pack Lincoln Financial Field for the Rolling Stones

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Tens of thousands of fans packed Lincoln Financial Field for one of the hottest concerts of the summer.

The Rolling Stones were in town Tuesday night. For many people, seeing them perform is a family affair.

We talked to fans who have been to more than 70 shows, some first timers and even one as young as eight years old.

"This will be my third Stones concert, so I'm excited to share it with the younger generation," said the Nguyen family.

People from all generations made their way to South Philadelphia.

"This is my first concert. I've always wanted to see the Stones. It's crazy, 40-50 years later they're putting on the show. So it's a real honor to be here," said Matthew Fritz, who came with his dad.

"My dad took me to see the Stones in 1966. My son is taking me to see at Lincoln Financial Field in 2024," said Bob Douglas who was here with his dad, also named Bob.

Fifty-eight years ago, the pair saw the Stones in Atlantic City. The band jumped out of a helicopter and walked feet away from them at the Steel Pier.

"I said Bob, 'That's the Rolling Stones.' He was six years old. I could pick him up and put him on my shoulders. They walked right by us," said the elder Douglas.

Decades later, Mick still has it, and their fan base proves that.

"We want to see Mick dance... just bring it. He's got a lot of life in him for his age," said Candice and Joe Kent, of Phoenixville.

Related Topics

• ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
• PHILADELPHIA
• LINCOLN FINANCIAL FIELD

Entertainment

On The Red Carpet: Emmy Race Begins

'Welcome to Wrexham' finale: how the team beat the odds

Nat Geo releases trailer for 'Cult Massacre: One Day in Jonestown'

'Fargo' could continue its consecutive Emmy run

Top stories.

2 injured after being shot inside car in Philadelphia; suspect sought

• 2 hours ago

'I lost my baby': Family speaks out after teen fatally shot in Philly

Jersey Shore town to ticket parents or guardians of unruly teens

Philly police investigating after officer shoots dirt bike rider

Hundreds in Chester County welcome local veterans from Honor Flight

Philly police search for burglars posing as construction workers

Storms result in cars flipped, trees downed across Philadelphia region

Man killed on Halloween 2 years ago while cleaning out Philly home

Detroiters get 1st look inside revived Michigan Central Station during tours

Detroiters on Friday get their first look inside revived Michigan Central Station after Thursday's blowout opening night concert .

Visitors, who had to sign up in advance for tours for the Detroit train station, will encounter a range of activities and exhibits honoring the station's history and six-year restoration. Tours continue daily through June 16, but they are fully booked. The station will be open for self-guided tours on Fridays and Saturdays through August.

The first floor of the station, by then with some shops and other features expected to be built out, is scheduled to be open to the public in September.

Follow along here to experience Detroiters' first steps inside the renovated station.

Michigan Central Station tours: How to visit Ford's renovated train depot

3:40 p.m.: A job loaded with smiles

John Martin is a new Michigan Central ambassador, after making a career out of cable TV advertising and spending a couple of more years working part-time gigs. Friday was just his second day of work after he snagged the job just in time for the station’s reopening.

Martin grew up in Lincoln Park and later worked in downtown Detroit, so he spent most of his life watching the city up close.

“Being that I worked down here, I’ve always been interested about what’s going on in the city, and that never left me even after I found another job,” he said.

He toured Michigan Central’s open house back in 2018 after it was acquired by Ford and has since been stunned by Detroit’s numerous and gorgeous renovations.

After he stopped working one of his part-time jobs earlier this year and almost simultaneously came across the Michigan Central ambassador position, he knew he could take the job and have a good time with it.

Martin stands at the doors of the Grand Hall and greets people as they enter with smiles widening and eyes lighting up at their first sight of the hall.

“One of my jobs that I didn’t do this year after working it for 12 years was at a golf course … You get a lot of interaction with folks. You’re not always putting out fires, but there always seems to be one on your shift. So, I thought, jeez, I could come in here and how many fires could I have? People are coming in here awestruck, they’re not complaining,” he said.

3 p.m.: Streets around train station returning to normal

By Friday afternoon, Michigan Avenue opened to vehicles after being closed for Thursday's opening festivities, and there was no traffic congestion even as thousands of people descended on the train station for the first day of public tours.

As workers outside continued to dismantle the concert stage, about 1,800 visitors walked through the train station as of 3 p.m., Michigan Central spokesperson Dan Austin said.

A total of 5,000 visitors were expected Friday, with tours ending at 10 p.m., he said. 

1:55 p.m.: Details make the difference

Christina Roki of Sterling Heights, and Grant Sloan of West Bloomfield, two automotive content creators who were invited to opening day by Ford, said they were brought to tears by the stories preserved inside Michigan Central Station.

“What we appreciate about it most is how much detail Ford cared to preserve to show the story. They kept part of the graffiti on the walls, they preserved a lot of the tickets they found … Even the brick, all the chisels we see on the brick, they didn’t try to make fine cut lines, they still want to show all the history that this building has,” said Roki.

As their tour guide led from room to room in the building, they remained at a loss for words.

“The inside was literally mind-blowing. I feel like I was walking in on such a big piece of history that’s been preserved for so long, so it’s crazy to think that this is something they’ve been working on in the past few years,” said Roki.

But for the two metro Detroiters, one of the most significant parts was just to see how Michigan Central had been given new life, narrowly dodging demolition. Sloan remembered times passing by the station with his friends just before the renovation began to see the graffiti and decay; now, to see that part of modern history meshed with its historical past, he said to step inside the new shiny floors was an awesome experience.

“Any Detroiter will agree that this building was such an eyesore for such a long time. Growing up in Detroit and knowing its history but never seeing it operational… But now seeing it up in running, it’s really touching to see that Ford took on such a large project,” said Sloan. “It’s early but I think it’s safe to say that the investment already paid off.”

— Kylie Martin

1:45 p.m.: Returning soon

Southwest Detroit resident Jennifer Serra set an alarm in hopes of scoring tickets to see the train station on its first day of public tours. 

“There's just not enough wonderful words to describe it,” Serra, 45, said after securing tickets and touring the station Friday. 

The only problem? She had somewhere else to be this afternoon and wanted to spend more time in the station. She’s already made plans to come back for another tour in a few days. 

“I feel like it's like a symbolic representation of what goes on in our city,” she said of Michigan Central Station. “I feel like there's just these landmarks in certain cities … that just really kind of embody the overall history of what's going on. I feel like this helps us bring a little bit of closure to some tough times and show renewal.”

— Adrienne Roberts 

1 p.m.: 'Another crown jewel'

Tom Schultz and his wife, Sylvia Ross-Schultz, are both born and raised Detroiters, but more than that, they’re Detroit-lovers.

“We’re so glad to see it getting so much better, and it’s beautiful … It’s just in my heart, it’s been the neatest thing,” said Ross-Schultz. “It’s another crown jewel in the renovation of Detroit.”

“I made the statement, and I was wrong, that (the comeback) would never happen in my lifetime,” said Schultz. “The rebirth is off the charts.”

Remembering the good old days of Michigan Central Station in the 1970s, the couple knew they had to tour the station on opening day, and so did Ross-Schultz’s cousin and her husband, Renee and Tom Toft. With ancestors who worked in the building, the families are woven into the fabric of Michigan Central, as well as the city of Detroit.

Additionally, the Tofts took what they called the “falling apart” tour of the station back when Ford purchased it in 2018.

Now, the four stood waiting for their tour in awe at the renovated front of the building.

“Instead of just knocking it down, to bring it back to this grandeur is absolutely fantastic,” said Ross-Schultz.

“You see the work they did out here, they recreated everything the right way,” said Tom Toft. “It’s spectacular. We haven’t even gone inside yet but I know its going to be spectacular.”

12:40 p.m.: Eager to return

Donny Wilson and his brother Paul Wilson had never been inside the train station until Friday morning, but they’re all ready to come back.

Donny Wilson, 41, an influencer who lives in Oak Park, wants to bring his family and friends to the station to see it. 

“I can't wait until all this stuff is actually in there …the shops, hotel …” Donny Wilson said after touring the station.

Paul Wilson, 42, a Detroit resident, said he’s just thought of the station as a ruin his whole life — until now. “It’s so cool how they refurbished everything and still kept a whole lot of the building intact,” Paul Wilson said.

Noon: 'Berliners are obsessed with Detroit'

NPR reporter Bobby Allyn, 35, walked quickly toward Michigan Central Station as he prepared to interview President Joe Biden’s director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Arati Prabhakar, at Newlab on Friday. He said he was super excited to be in Detroit, having heard so much about the city when he lived in Berlin.

“Berliners are obsessed with Detroit because of techno music,” Allyn said. “It’s the birthplace of techno. Look up Jeff Mills of Detroit and techno. You’ll see. When you go to Club Berghain in Berlin, it’s impossible to get in but if you wear a hat that says, ‘Detroit,’ they let you in.”

Allyn, a technology correspondent , reports on startups, artificial intelligence, privacy issues and tech litigation. While he was directed to the building next door to Michigan Central Station, the whole site is part of the mobility hub led by Ford Motor Co. Allyn said he couldn’t wait to see the inside of the restored train depot after the interview.

— Phoebe Wall Howard

11:50 a.m.: Memories rekindled outside Michigan Central

Bob Bilkie, 63, and Shari Bilkie, 62, of Northville walked the side streets surrounding Michigan Central Station as they waited for the noon public tours to begin. They parked at 10 a.m. and took in the sights of the Corktown neighborhood on the cool, cloudy day.

As they approached their 41st wedding anniversary on Monday, they talked about dates at Lafayette Coney Island in Detroit, ordering their lemon meringue pie and Faygo Red Pop. That’s pretty much all Bob Bilkie could afford as an intern at Detroit Edison. At lunch, he ordered coney dogs with lots of onions and mustard because that’s what he could afford. Now Bob is an investment adviser and Shari is a compliance officer for a financial firm.

Being in Detroit together during this special time also celebrates memories of their families. Her grandfather went to Cass Tech High School and owned Ward’s Bar in Dearborn. They went to the old Tiger Stadium around the corner as a family. His father worked at American Motors as a fabricator, and his grandfather worked for the railroad.

“He probably worked here,” Bob said, glancing up at the 18-story Beaux Arts-style building from the corner of Wabash and Marantette.

Shari said smiling, “It is so cool, the fact that they took something decrepit, falling apart, an eyesore and turned it into something absolutely beautiful.”

11:35 a.m.: The morning after and a new dawn

On a much noticeably cooler and windier morning compared with Thursday, Corktown appeared to be just waking up after last night’s celebration. 

With much of Michigan Avenue still closed off to vehicles Friday morning, the few businesses that were open had just a couple of customers. 

The train station, however, was bustling with activity, albeit a different kind of energy compared with Thursday night, as workers dismantled the concert stage that the night before featured acts including massive music concern in Roosevelt Park a night earlier that featured Diana Ross, Eminem, Jack White and Big Sean. 

— Adrienne Roberts

11:25 a.m.: Michigan Central prepares for company

The sounds of Motown and techno music filled the halls of Michigan Central Station, spilling from speakers in a gallery plastered with vintage posters less than an hour before the doors officially opened to visitors on Friday.

Inside the station, hundreds of workers dashed about, putting final touches on exhibits scheduled to attract 60,000 people over 10 days.

A woman from Chicago leading a group of eight South Korean government officials, walking through the renovated station half an hour before the official open, explained that the visitors oversee small- and medium-sized businesses and they’re looking at the 30-acre innovation zone created by Bill Ford, executive chair of Ford Motor Co.