PHX Sky Train

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Electric people mover at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport

title: "PHX Sky Train" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["airport-people-mover-systems-in-the-united-states", "airport-rail-links-in-the-united-states", "railway-lines-opened-in-2013", "innovia-people-movers", "phoenix-sky-harbor-international-airport", "2013-establishments-in-arizona"] description: "Electric people mover at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport" topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PHX_Sky_Train" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Electric people mover at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox rail line"]

FieldValue
namePHX Sky Train
box_width30em
color000000
image231014-5 PHX Sky Train.jpg
image_width250px
captionPHX Sky Train
typePeople mover
localePhoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Phoenix, Arizona
startRental Car Center
end
stations6
openApril 8, 2013 (Phase 1)
December 8, 2014 (Phase 1A)
December 20, 2022 (Phase 2)
ownerCity of Phoenix Aviation Department
operatorAlstom
characterElevated
stock42 × Innovia APM 200
linelength5 mi
elevation100 ft
map{{switcher
{{maplinkframe
{{PHX Sky Traininline
::

| name = PHX Sky Train | box_width = 30em | color = 000000 | image = 231014-5 PHX Sky Train.jpg | image_width = 250px | caption = PHX Sky Train | type = People mover | system = | status = | locale = Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Phoenix, Arizona | start = Rental Car Center | end = | stations = 6 | routes = | daily_ridership = | open = April 8, 2013 (Phase 1) December 8, 2014 (Phase 1A) December 20, 2022 (Phase 2) | close = | owner = City of Phoenix Aviation Department | operator = Alstom | character = Elevated | stock = 42 × Innovia APM 200 | linelength = 5 mi | tracklength = | tracks = | gauge = | electrification = | speed = | elevation = 100 ft | map = {{switcher | PHX Sky Train highlighted in black | Show interactive map | | Show route diagram

The PHX Sky Train is an electric people mover at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona. The initial segment opened to the public on April 8, 2013. The first extension to Terminal 3 opened on December 8, 2014, and the second extension to the Rental Car Center opened on December 20, 2022. The 24/7 service operates free of charge, with trains running every 3–5 minutes.

The PHX Sky Train replaced shuttle buses for transit within the airport property. Inter-terminal shuttle bus service was discontinued on January 15, 2015.

The PHX Sky Train features a 100 ft bridge over Taxiway R, one of three taxiways that connects the north and south runways. This is the first transit bridge in the world to be built over an active taxiway. The bridge is tall enough to allow for Boeing 747 and Airbus A380 aircraft to pass under.

History

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/Terminal_4_looking_at_T3,_under_construction.JPG" caption="Phase 1a construction as of May 2013, viewed from Terminal 4 to T3. The concrete guideway, largely complete, dives under Taxiways S and T, then rises to enter the skeleton of the T3 station"] ::

Phase 1 consists of a 1.7 mi segment constructed between December 2008 and April 2013. It links Terminal 4, the East Economy Parking lot, and the 44th Street/Washington station on the A Line of the Valley Metro Rail system. The guideway runs in a new underpass (below the Union Pacific railroad), past the jet-fuel tank farm, and alongside 44th Street. At an estimated cost of $1.58 billion, Phase 1 opened on April 8, 2013.

Phase 1a, which opened December 8, 2014, extended the train from Terminal 4 to Terminal 3.

Phase 2 opened on December 20, 2022, and extended the Sky Train west from Terminal 3 to the Rental Car Center. Funding was approved in October 2016 and the extension was projected to cost $700 million. Phase 2 construction completed in mid 2022 and was under testing until its final opening in December. Phase 2 was fully funded by airline and rental car passenger fees. The 2.5 mi extension passes in two cuts underneath future taxiways and Interstate 10.

Future

Phase 2 includes provisions for infill stations to be constructed for a future "West Terminal" (on the site of the West Economy Parking lots) as well as a new ground transportation center to be built just east of 24th Street. Both the new terminal and new ground transportation center are unfunded and included in the airport's 20-year Comprehensive Asset Management Plan.

Passenger services

At the 44th Street station, domestic passengers could check baggage for flights operated by American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines, though this ended in November 2017. Once checked, the baggage was delivered in locked containers to the internal baggage-handling systems at Terminal 4. Delivery of the baggage was via secured shuttle-trucks that ran approximately every eight minutes.

44th Street also has a passenger drop-off area, cell phone lot, It is also served by routes 1, 32, and 44 of the Valley Metro Bus system. FlixBus boards from the north side of the Sky Train station.

Select airlines also offer kiosks to print boarding passes at the 44th Street/Washington and East Economy Parking stations.

Ridership

Three months after opening, the PHX Sky Train carried about 70,000 people per week, over 40% higher than the design estimates of about 48,000. The busiest days are Thursday and Friday. The busiest times are 5 am-8 am and noon-3 pm In March 2016, average daily ridership was 15,940.

Cumulative ridership hit 1 million in 2013 and hit 10 million in 2015.

Rolling stock

Rolling stock consists of 18 Innovia APM 200 vehicles. Trains generally operating as six 3-car trainsets, although 2-car trainsets are in use during off-peak times. With the opening of Phase 2, Bombardier will deliver 24 additional vehicles. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/231230-8_PHX_Sky_Train.jpg" caption="PHX Sky Train cars 25, 26, and 27 operating as a 3-car trainset"] ::

The system is designed to carry 3,300 passengers per hour per direction. The average speed of the trains was forecasted to be 23 mph, with trainsets capable of reaching 38 mph, making the journey time from the 44th Street to Terminal 4 five minutes, plus an additional two minutes to reach Terminal 3.

This is the third Innovia APM 200 installation following the DFW Skylink and Heathrow Terminal 5 Transit.

Image gallery

Different views of the PHX Sky Train and terminal. |width=180px |height=200px |align=center |File: Phoenix-Sky_Train_Station_2.JPG|Outside view of the main terminal of the PHX Sky Train. | File:Phoenix-Sky Train-44 St. Sta.JPG| Inside the PHX Sky Train 44th Street Terminal Station. |File: Phoenix-Inside_Sky_Train_Station.JPG| Another view of the 44th Street PHX Sky Train main terminal. |File: Phoenix-Sky_Train_Station.JPG|View of the main terminal of the PHX Sky Train from an approaching train. |File: Phoenix-Sky_Train_3.JPG |View of the other PHX Sky Trains. |File: Phoenix-Sky_Train_2.JPG |View #2 of the other PHX Sky Trains. | File:Phoenix-Sky Train-Circulator Shuttle Stop Sta..JPG|Inside the PHX Sky Train Circulator Shuttle Stop Station. | File:Phoenix-Sky Train-Terminal 4 Sta..JPG|Inside PHX Sky Train Terminal 4 Station. |File:Phoenix-Sky Train-5.JPG| PHX Sky Train rails from terminals four to three. | File:Phoenix-Sky Train -Terminal 3 Sta..JPG|Inside PHX Sky Train Terminal 3 Station. | File:Phoenix-Sky Train Terminal 3.JPG|Outside PHX Sky Train Terminal 3 Station | File:240109-2 PHX Sky Train.jpg|An elevated section of the track near the Bombardier Transportation maintenance offshoot

References

References

  1. City of Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. "The Automated Train".
  2. Wang, Amy B.. "PHX Sky Train opens April 8". [[AZCentral]].
  3. "PHX Debuts Final Stage of the PHX Sky Train®: Customers can now easily connect between the Terminals and Rental Car Center".
  4. Gilbertson, Dawn. (December 8, 2014). "Sky Harbor Sky Train expands to Terminal 3". [[The Arizona Republic]].
  5. "PHX Sky Train". City of Phoenix Aviation Department.
  6. "PHX Sky Train® Stage 2". City of Phoenix Aviation Department.
  7. Buchholz, Jan. (June 4, 2010). "Phx Sky Train taking flight at Sky Harbor airport". Phoenix Business Journal.
  8. Gilbertson, Dawn. (October 21, 2016). "Phoenix OKs update of airport terminal, train". [[The Arizona Republic]].
  9. "Register".
  10. HNTB Corporation. (January 2018). "Final Environmental Assessment for Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Sky Train Phase 2".
  11. Ricondo & Associates. (2019). "Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport - Comprehensive Asset Management Plan".
  12. "Schlep your own luggage: Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport is ending early bag check".
  13. "Bicycling to Sky Harbor". City of Phoenix Aviation Department.
  14. (October 28, 2019). "Valley Metro Rail". [[Valley Metro]].
  15. The Arizona Republic, July 14, 2013, page B5, "Officials: PHX Sky Train may top use estimates
  16. "Phoenix Sky Harbor Sets Another Passenger Record".
  17. (March 16, 2017). "Phoenix Sky Harbor gives first look at $700M Sky Train extension". [[KTAR-FM]].
  18. (March 22, 2018). "Bombardier Wins Contract to Extend People Mover System in Phoenix". [[Bombardier Inc.]].
  19. [https://archive.today/20130616012317/http://www.bombardier.com/en/transportation/media-centre/press-releases/details?docID=0901260d802af38c]
  20. (2022-12-21). "Alstom’s automated people mover at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport carries first passengers across new extension".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

airport-people-mover-systems-in-the-united-statesairport-rail-links-in-the-united-statesrailway-lines-opened-in-2013innovia-people-moversphoenix-sky-harbor-international-airport2013-establishments-in-arizona