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{{redirect|Airport Express Train}}
{{redirect|Airport Express Train}}
{{For|stations named "Airport"|Airport Station (disambiguation){{!}}Airport Station}}
{{For|stations named "Airport"|Airport Station (disambiguation){{!}}Airport Station}}
{{More citations needed|date=July 2020}}
{{Unreferenced|date=September 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
[[File:Leonardo express 01.jpg|thumb|[[Leonardo Express]] at [[Roma Termini railway station]], linking the center of [[Rome]] with its largest airport, [[Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport]], Italy]]


An '''airport rail link''' is a service providing passenger [[rail transport]] from an [[airport]] to a nearby city by [[main line (railway)|mainline]] or [[commuter rail|commuter]] trains, [[rapid transit]], [[people mover]], or [[light rail]]. Direct links operate straight to the [[airport terminal]], while other systems require an intermediate use of people mover or [[airport bus|shuttle bus]].
An '''airport rail link''' is a service providing passenger [[rail transport]] between an [[airport]] and a nearby city. Direct links operate straight from the [[airport terminal]] to the city, while other links require an intermediate use of a people mover or [[airport bus|shuttle bus]]. Advantages for the passenger include faster travel times and easy connections with other public transport. Advantages for the airport include increased patronage and enhanced accessibility for staff. Additionally, authorities have benefitted from less highway congestion, less pollution, and more business opportunities.


==History==
Although airport rail links have been popular solutions in Europe and Japan for decades, only recently have links been constructed in North America, South America, Africa, Oceania, and the rest of Asia. Advantages for the rider include faster travel time and easy interconnection with other public transport, while authorities have benefited from less highway and parking [[traffic congestion|congestion]], less pollution, and additional business opportunities. Additionally, the links benefit airports by drawing in more passengers via easy access.
Although airport rail links have been a popular solution in Europe and Japan for decades, only recently have links been constructed in North America, South America, Africa, Oceania, and the rest of Asia.


Some early examples of inter-city railway stations built to serve an airport include:
==Connection types==
===Mass transit===
{{Unreferenced section|date=July 2020}}[[File:Beijing Subway Airport Express 01.jpg|thumb|[[Capital Airport Express]], Beijing Subway]]
[[File:Terminal1Station.jpg|thumb|Toronto's [[Union Pearson Express]] links the city centre with the airport, but also has intermediate stations. This has made it a popular premium alternative for local commuters.]]

For airports built within or close to the city limits, extending [[mass transit]] [[urban rail]] systems like rapid transit or light rail to airport terminals allows full integration with other public transport in the city, and seamless transport to all parts of town. Service frequency will be high, although travel time is a drawback as the services make many intermediate stops before reaching the city center and thus there may not be enough space for the [[baggage]] commonly carried by airport-bound passengers. Furthermore, [[luggage]] stowing facilities are not commonly found on mass transit vehicles as their primary objective is to provide high-capacity transport, as in the [[Airport & South Line]] in Sydney, Australia. A common solution involves building a separate people mover from a mass transit station to the airport terminal (see below), often using automated systems, allowing faster travel time and fare discrimination, for instance [[Orlyval]]. Because they are solely dedicated to passengers using the airport, luggage stowing facilities are more likely to appear on these systems.

The first rapid transit station to connect an airport with a mass transit system was the [[Berlin U-Bahn]]'s [[Paradestraße (Berlin U-Bahn)|Paradestraße]] station which opened in 1927 as ''Flughafen'' (Airport) and was built to provide direct access to [[Berlin Tempelhof Airport]]. The connection between Tempelhof Airport and the Berlin U-Bahn at Paradestraße was however revoked in 1937 and the preceding station [[Platz der Luftbrücke (Berlin U-Bahn)|Platz der Luftbrücke]] was instead granted that connection and remained so until Tempelhof Airport's closure in 2008. Other early examples of mass transit stations located at airports include the [[Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority|MBTA]] [[Blue Line (MBTA)|Blue Line]]'s [[Airport (MBTA station)|Airport station]] which is situated at Boston's [[Logan International Airport]] and opened for service in 1952 and rebuilt in 2004, and Cleveland [[RTA Rapid Transit]] [[Red Line (Cleveland)|Red Line]]'s [[Airport station (GCRTA)|Cleveland Hopkins International Airport station]] which opened in 1968 and rebuilt in 1994, although Cleveland's rapid transit is considered the first direct airport-to-downtown rapid transit system in the Western Hemisphere. Boston's Blue Line requires a short bus transfer from the airport rail station to the airport terminal.

===Mainline rail===
{{Unreferenced section|date=July 2020}}
[[File:Flughafen-Fernbahnsteig Fahrstuhl-Frankfurt am Main.JPG|thumb|[[Frankfurt Airport long-distance station]], Germany]]
Dedicated railway lines to airports have become popular since the 1980s. In many cases, there are stations at the airport terminal(s) for express, intercity and commuter trains, allowing direct travel to the check-in halls. In most cases, this solution requires the building of new track, whether it is a newly built [[Main line (railway)|main line]] or a [[Branch line|branch (spur) line]] from an existing main line.

A cheaper option is to open a new station on an existing line, again connected to the airport by people mover or shuttle bus (see below). While this option is commonly chosen to reduce construction costs, it is only feasible when the station is near the airport. Some early examples of mainline rail stations built to serve an airport are:
{|class=wikitable
{|class=wikitable
!Station!!Country!!Original<br>opening<br>date!!Details
!Station!!Country!!Opened!!Details
|-
|-
|[[Don Mueang Station]]||Thailand||1898||In [[Don Mueang District]], opposite [[Don Mueang International Airport]] which opened for commercial flights in 1924
|[[Don Mueang railway station|Don Mueang]]||Thailand||1898||Serves [[Don Mueang International Airport]] which opened in 1924
|-
|-
|[[Berlin Schönefeld Flughafen station]]||Germany||1951||Served [[Berlin Schönefeld Airport]] until 2020 and now Terminal 5 of [[Berlin Brandenburg airport]]
|[[Schönefeld (bei Berlin) station|Schönefeld (bei Berlin)]]||Germany||1951||Served [[Berlin Schönefeld Airport]], now serves [[Berlin Brandenburg Airport]]
|-
|-
|[[Gatwick Airport railway station]]||United Kingdom||1891||Originally served [[Gatwick Racecourse|a nearby racecourse]] and later rebuilt to directly serve [[Gatwick Airport]] in 1958
|[[Gatwick Airport railway station|Gatwick Airport]]||United Kingdom||1958||Rebuilt to directly serve [[Gatwick Airport]]
|-
|-
|[[Brussels National Airport railway station]]||Belgium||1958||Serves [[Brussels Airport]]
|[[Brussels Airport-Zaventem railway station|Brussels Airport-Zaventem]]||Belgium||1958||Serves [[Brussels Airport]]
|-
|-
|[[Frankfurt Airport regional station]]||Germany||1972||Is one of the two railway stations that serve [[Frankfurt Airport]]
|[[Frankfurt Airport regional station|Frankfurt am Main Flughafen Regionalbahnhof]]||Germany||1972||Serves [[Frankfurt Airport]]
|}
|}
[[File:Station Brussels Airport-Zaventem Uitgang.jpg|thumb|[[Brussels National Airport railway station]], Belgium]]
Integration with [[Intercity rail|intercity services]] has produced alliances where airlines sell [[air ticket]]s that include the connecting rail service. Parts of Europe have seen integration of [[high-speed rail]] into airports, with domestic and international [[TGV]] services from [[Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV]] in [[Paris]] and [[InterCityExpress|ICE]] services from [[Frankfurt Airport long-distance station]]. Because of this, many airport railway stations have received [[List of IATA-indexed railway stations|IATA codes]].


The first rapid transit station to connect with an airport was Berlin's [[Berlin U-Bahn|U-Bahn]] [[U6 (Berlin U-Bahn)|U6]] [[Paradestraße (Berlin U-Bahn)|Paradestraße]] station which opened in 1927 as ''Flughafen'' ({{lit|airport}}) and was built to provide direct access to [[Berlin Tempelhof Airport]]. However, the connection was removed in 1937 and the preceding [[Platz der Luftbrücke (Berlin U-Bahn)|Platz der Luftbrücke]] station was instead granted the connection and remained so until Berlin Tempelhof Airport's closure in 2008.
Yet another option for airports is to use a high-speed "airport express" train to the city centre, especially if the airport is outside the urban area and some way from the mass transit system, but a direct downtown service is required, such as [[Flytoget]] serving [[Oslo Airport, Gardermoen]]. There are various ways this can be done: it may operate on a combination of existing and newly built mainline rail or [[mass transit]] track using a dedicated fleet of rolling stock designed for airport service. These solutions often have the drawback of lower frequencies (e.g. twice per hour), and often charge a [[premium fare]] higher than other services, but are more likely to have luxury features such as [[luggage rack]]s, [[power outlet]]s, [[Wi-Fi]], and [[Passenger train toilet|washrooms]].


Other early examples of rapid transit stations connecting with airports include Boston's [[Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority|MBTA]] [[Blue Line (MBTA)|Blue Line]] [[Airport (MBTA station)|Airport]] station which opened in 1952 (rebuilt in 2004), and Cleveland's [[RTA Rapid Transit]] [[Red Line (Cleveland)|Red Line]] [[Airport station (GCRTA)|Cleveland Hopkins International Airport]] station which opened in 1968 (rebuilt in 1994). Boston's link requires a short shuttle bus transfer from the station to the airport terminal, whilst Cleveland's link is considered the first direct service in the Western Hemisphere.
Most dedicated railways use mainline trains and trackage, while mass transit "airport express" lines are usually found in Asia, as in the case of the [[Airport Express (MTR)|Airport Express Line]] in Hong Kong. Other airports, such as [[Heathrow Airport]], are served by both express trains and mass transit. This is becoming increasingly popular in China, where several airports now have both high-speed rail and metro connections.


==Connection types==
===Shuttle===
===High-speed rail and inter-city rail===
[[File:JFK AirTrain 03.JPG|thumb|[[AirTrain JFK]], USA]]
A high-speed or inter-city service provides direct travel between an airport and its surrounding cities. This solution usually requires the building of new track, whether it is a newly built [[Main line (railway)|main line]] or a [[Branch line|branch (spur) line]]. These services often have premium fares, lower frequencies (e.g. every 30 minutes) and luxury features (e.g. luggage racks, power outlets, Wi-Fi, bathrooms).


Integration with [[High-speed rail|high-speed]] and [[Intercity rail|inter-city]] services has produced alliances where airlines sell tickets that include the connecting rail service. Parts of Europe have seen integration of high-speed rail stations into airports, with domestic and international [[TGV]] services from [[Charles de Gaulle Airport|Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport]] and [[InterCityExpress|ICE]] services from [[Frankfurt Airport]]. Because of this, some stations have received [[List of IATA-indexed railway stations|IATA codes]].
In many cases, there is no train station directly at the airport, usually because the infrastructure on which the service operates makes it impractical to build such a station. When this happens, a [[Shuttle train|shuttle]] system is required for the last part of the journey; using either a [[automated people mover|people mover]] (often automated, such as [[AirTrain JFK]] in New York City) or a bus. The former allows low operating costs{{citation needed|date=April 2012}} and higher perceived quality; the latter does not require specialized infrastructure to be built, and is often the preferred choice at smaller or low-cost airports. Shuttles do not provide a direct connection, and often involve a wait for a transfer to the next stage of the journey. Thus their market shares are often lower.


===Regional rail and commuter rail===
In some airports, such as [[San Francisco International Airport]], the rail link may not serve some or all of the terminals or concourses directly; passengers using terminals that lack such connections must use a [[List of airport people mover systems|people mover or airport circulator]] to access their terminal. These circulators typically also serve parking lots, and sometimes airport hotels and off-site [[car rental]] locations.
[[File:Leonardo express 01.jpg|thumb|[[Leonardo Express]], Rome]]
A regional or commuter "airport express" service provides direct travel between an airport and its city centre. This solution is often used where the airport is outside the urban area and some way from the mass transit system but a direct downtown service is required. There are various ways this can be achieved: it may operate on a combination of existing or newly built mainline rail track using a dedicated fleet of rolling stock designed for airport service. Similarly to high-speed and inter-city services, these services often have premium fares, lower frequencies and luxury features.


==Current examples==
===Rapid transit===
[[File:Beijing Subway Airport Express 01.jpg|thumb|[[Capital Airport Express]], Beijing]]

For airports built within or close to the city limits, extending a rapid transit network like a metro or tram to the airport allows seamless transport to suburbs and full integration with other lines. These services usually have a higher frequency (e.g. every 5 minutes) but longer travel times due to the service making many intermediate stops between the airport and the city centre. Additionally, there may not be enough space for [[baggage]] commonly carried by airport-bound passengers. Luggage stowing facilities are not commonly found on rapid transit vehicles as their primary objective is to provide high-capacity service.
{{Main|List of airport rail link systems}}

===Main-line or commuter rail===
[[File:RER-B at Charles de Gaulle.jpg|thumb|[[RER B]] train at [[Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV|Charles de Gaulle Airport station]], France]]

[[Commuter rail]]-type service directly from a city center to the airport, without needing to change trains and sometimes without intermediate stops, such as the [[RER B]] between [[Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV]] and [[Paris]], or [[Brightline]] to [[Orlando International Airport]], or [[Narita International Airport]] via the [[Keisei Narita Airport Line]] and the [[Narita Express]], [[Toronto Pearson International Airport]] via the [[Union Pearson Express]], [[Rome Fiumicino Airport]] via the [[Leonardo Express]] or [[Milan Malpensa Airport]] via the [[Malpensa Express]].

===Light rail or metro===
Many cities also provide a link to their airports through their [[rapid transit]] or [[light rail]] systems, which, unlike express trains, often make numerous stops on the way to the airport, such as the [[Milan Metro Line 4|line 4]] of the [[Milan Metro]] between [[Linate Airport]] and [[Milan]]. At some airports, such as O'Hare in Chicago or Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta, the rapid transit train only visits one terminal or [[concourse]]; passengers must transfer to an [[List of airport people mover systems|airport circulator (people mover system)]] to reach other terminals or concourses.

===Rail to people mover to airport===
[[File:Düsseldorf - International (Rhein-Ruhr - Lohausen) (DUS - EDDL) AN0361464.jpg|thumb|[[Düsseldorf SkyTrain]], Germany]]
A hybrid solution adopted in some cities is a direct rail connection to an airport train station instead of to the airport itself. At the airport train station, the passenger switches to a [[people mover]] that goes to the airport terminals. The same system can also serve passengers moving between different terminals and traveling between the terminals and car rental lots or parking areas. Several very large airports have rail stations near some terminals, but people movers are used by many to get to some other nearby railway stations.

====Asia====
*[[Soekarno-Hatta International Airport]] via [[Soekarno–Hatta Airport Skytrain]] from [[SHIA railway station|Soekarno-Hatta International Airport]] railway station.

====Europe====
[[File:People Mover.jpg|thumb|[[Marconi Express]], Italy]]

*[[Birmingham Airport]] via [[Air-Rail Link]] from [[Birmingham International railway station|Birmingham International]] railway station.
*[[Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport|Bologna Airport]] via [[Marconi Express]] from [[Bologna Centrale railway station|Bologna Centrale]] railway station.
*[[Düsseldorf Airport]] via [[Düsseldorf SkyTrain|SkyTrain]] from [[Düsseldorf Airport station|Dusseldorf Airport]] railway station.
*[[London Luton Airport]] via [[Luton DART]] from [[Luton Airport Parkway railway station|Luton Airport Parkway]] railway station.
*[[Orly Airport|Paris Orly Airport]] via [[Orlyval]] from [[Antony station|Antony]] railway station.
*[[Pisa International Airport|Pisa Airport]] via [[Pisa#Pisamover|Pisamover]] from [[Pisa Centrale railway station|Pisa Centrale]] railway station.

====North America====
[[File:Oakland Airport Connector cable car crossing Airport Access Road, March 2018.JPG|thumb|[[Oakland Airport Connector]], USA]]
*[[John F. Kennedy International Airport]] in New York City via [[AirTrain JFK]] to [[Jamaica (LIRR station)|Jamaica]] station ([[Long Island Rail Road]] trains and [[New York City Subway]] {{NYCS trains|Archer}}) or [[Howard Beach – JFK Airport (IND Rockaway Line)|Howard Beach – JFK Airport]] ({{NYCS trains|Rockaway}}).
*[[Miami International Airport]] via an [[MIA Mover|airport People Mover]] and the [[Miami Intermodal Center]], which is a stop for the [[Miami-Dade Metrorail]] and [[Tri-Rail]].
*[[Newark Liberty International Airport]] via [[AirTrain Newark]] and [[Newark Liberty International Airport (NJT station)|its train station]], a stop for [[Amtrak]] and [[NJ Transit]] (Used by [[United Airlines]] as if it were a connecting airline.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.continental.com/company/alliance/amtrak.asp |title=connecting airline |publisher=Continental.com |access-date=11 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060421135410/http://www.continental.com/company/alliance/amtrak.asp |archive-date=21 April 2006 |url-status = live}}</ref>)
*[[Oakland International Airport]] via the [[Oakland Airport Connector]], a [[Bay Area Rapid Transit|BART]] [[automated guideway transit]] (AGT) system between [[Oakland Coliseum station|Coliseum station]] (BART and [[Amtrak]]) and [[Oakland International Airport station]] that connects to the airport terminal buildings.
* [[O'Hare International Airport]] in Chicago via [[Airport Transit System]] to [[O'Hare Transfer station]] of [[Metra]]'s [[North Central Service]]
*[[Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport]] via [[PHX Sky Train]] to [[44th St/Washington (VMR station)|44th St/Washington]] station of the [[Valley Metro Rail]] system.
*[[San Francisco International Airport]] to [[BART]] via the intra terminal shuttle
*[[Orlando International Airport]] via [[Brightline]] (opened on September 22, 2023)

====South America====
*[[Salgado Filho International Airport]] via [[Metro-Airport Connection]] to Aeroporto station of the [[Porto Alegre Metro]].
*[[São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport]] via [[GRU Airport People Mover]]. (Opening in 2024)


===Rail to bus to airport===
===Rail to people mover===
{{See also|People mover}}
[[File:JFK AirTrain 03.JPG|thumb|[[AirTrain JFK]], New York City]]
A hybrid solution adopted in some cities is a direct link to an airport railway station connected to a [[people mover]]. The passenger transfers from the railway station to the people mover which then completes the journey to the airport terminal. While this option is commonly chosen to reduce construction costs, it is only feasible when a rail line is near the airport. Some airports, such as [[San Francisco International Airport]], are directly served by an airport rail link to some terminals but not others. In such cases, passengers using terminals that lack a direct connection must use a people mover to access their terminal. People movers typically also serve parking lots, airport hotels and off-site [[car rental]] facilities. People movers are seen to have a higher perceived quality compared to a shuttle bus.


===Rail to shuttle bus===
{{See also|Airport bus}}
{{See also|Airport bus}}
Another hybrid solution is a direct link to an airport railway station connected to a shuttle bus. The passenger transfers from the railway station to the shuttle bus which then completes the journey to the airport terminal. A shuttle bus requires no specialised infrastructure, and is often the preferred choice at smaller or low-cost airports. Shuttle buses may involve a wait for a transfer to the next stage of the journey and often suffer from lower perceived quality and market share compared to direct connections.
Another common arrangement requires the passenger to take a train or metro to a railway station near the airport and then switch to a [[bus]] that goes to the airport terminals. Most medium and large size airports have bus connections from the inner city. This list only contains connections by bus from a railway station strongly associated, by branding or by name, with the airport.


==Current examples==
====Asia====


{{Main|List of airport rail link systems}}
* [[Cheongju International Airport]] via shuttle bus from [[Chungbuk Line|Cheongju Int'l Airport]] railway station.
* [[Daegu International Airport]] via local bus from [[Ayanggyo station|Ayanggyo (Daegu Int'l Airport)]] railway station.
* [[Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport]] via shuttle bus from [[Zhengding Airport railway station|Zhengding Airport]] railway station.


===High-speed rail and inter-city rail===
====Europe====
[[File:RER-B at Charles de Gaulle.jpg|thumb|[[RER B]], Paris]]
Examples include [[Schiphol Airport railway station|Schipol Airport]] station to other Dutch cities, [[Zürich Airport railway station|Zürich Flughafen]] station to other Swiss cities, and [[Daxing Jichang (Daxing Airport) station|Daxing Airport]] station to other Chinese cities.


===Regional rail and commuter rail===
*[[Aberdeen Airport]], Scotland via [[Dyce railway station]] and [[80 Dyce Airlink]] shuttle bus. In addition to linking the airport with [[Aberdeen Joint railway station|Aberdeen]], Dyce railway station also provides direct connections to [[Edinburgh Waverley railway station|Edinburgh]], [[Glasgow Queen Street railway station|Glasgow]] and [[Inverness railway station|Inverness]], as well as intermediate stations on those lines.
Examples include the [[Narita Express]] between [[Narita International Airport]] and [[Tokyo]], the [[Union Pearson Express]] between [[Toronto Pearson International Airport]] and [[Toronto]], and the [[Leonardo Express]] between [[Rome Fiumicino Airport|Leonardo da Vinci–Rome Fiumicino Airport]] and [[Rome]].
*[[EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg]] via [[Basler Verkehrs-Betriebe|BVB's no. 50]] shuttle bus from [[Basel SBB]] railway station (Swiss exit), and via ''distribus'' bus No. 11 from [[Saint-Louis, Haut-Rhin|SNCF's Saint-Louis]] railway station (French exit).
*[[Bristol Airport]], England, by frequent express bus from [[Bristol Temple Meads railway station]]
*[[Bucharest]]'s [[Henri Coandă International Airport]] via P.O. Aeroport Station, located about 900 m from the airport, and a shuttle bus timed to offer connections with all trains (every half-hour). Combo (bus plus train) tickets are sold under the 'Henri Coanda Express' brand.
*[[Cardiff International Airport]], Wales via [[Transport for Wales Rail|Transport for Wales]] services and a frequent shuttle bus from [[Rhoose Cardiff International Airport Station|Cardiff International Airport Station]].
*[[Carlisle Lake District Airport]] offered a connecting bus shuttle between Carlisle railway station and the terminal, with the service withdrawn during the COVID-19 pandemic.
*[[Glasgow International Airport]] via shuttle bus from [[Paisley Gilmour Street railway station]]
*[[Liverpool John Lennon Airport]] via regular shuttle bus services from [[Liverpool South Parkway]]
*[[Marseille Provence Airport]] via free shuttles to Marseille Provence Airport train station, which is used by [[Transport express régional]] trains.
*Moscow [[Sheremetyevo]], buses and minibuses from the metro station [[Rechnoi Vokzal]] and [[Planernaya (Moscow Metro)|Planernaya]]
*Moscow [[Domodedovo International Airport|Domodedovo]], buses and minibuses from the metro station [[Domodedovskaya]]
*Moscow [[Vnukovo International Airport|Vnukovo]], buses and minibuses from the metro stations [[Yugo-Zapadnaya (Moscow Metro)|Yugo-Zapadnaya]] and [[Oktyabrskaya (Minsk Metro)|Oktyabrskaya]]
*Moscow [[Zhukovsky International Airport]] is served by frequent buses from the terminal to Otdykh railway station.
*[[Sandefjord Airport, Torp|Sandefjord Airport]] (and until 2016 the now closed [[Moss Airport, Rygge|Moss Airport]]) in Norway has free shuttle buses to a nearby regional railway station.
*Paris [[Orly Airport|Orly airport]], via shuttle bus to [[Pont de Rungis – Aéroport d'Orly (Paris RER)|Pont de Rungis – Aéroport d'Orly]]
* [[Rotterdam The Hague Airport]] via shuttle bus to [[Meijersplein RandstadRail station]]
*St. Petersburg [[Pulkovo Airport|Pulkovo]], minibuses from the metro station [[Moskovsky Rail Terminal (Saint Petersburg)|Moskovskaya]]
*Warsaw [[Modlin Airport]] is connected by [[Koleje Mazowieckie]], with frequent buses from the airport to Modlin railway station.


====North America====
===Rapid transit===
Examples include the [[East–West MRT line|East–West Line]] between [[Changi Airport MRT station|Changi Airport]] station and Singapore, the [[Silver Line (Washington Metro)|Silver Line]] between [[Dulles International Airport station|Washington Dulles International Airport]] station and Washington, D.C., and the [[Orange Line (DART)|Orange Line]] between [[DFW Airport Terminal A station|DFW Airport Terminal A]] station and Dallas.
*[[Albuquerque International Sunport]] via a shuttle bus and the [[Bernalillo County/International Sunport (Rail Runner station)|Bernalillo County/International Sunport]] stop for [[New Mexico Rail Runner Express]] service.
*[[Baltimore-Washington International Airport]] via a shuttle bus and the [[BWI Rail Station]], a stop for [[Amtrak]] and [[MARC Train|MARC]] [[Penn Line (MARC)|Penn Line]] service.
*Boston's [[Logan International Airport#Ground transportation|Logan International Airport]] via:
** The [[Silver Line (MBTA)|Silver Line]] SL1 [[bus rapid transit]] service connecting at [[South Station]] with the [[Red Line (MBTA)|MBTA Red Line]] (a free transfer), [[MBTA Commuter Rail|commuter rail]] and [[South Station Bus Terminal|intercity buses]].
** Free [[MassPort]] shuttle buses between Logan terminals and the [[Airport (MBTA station)|Airport station]] on the [[Blue Line (MBTA)|MBTA Blue Line]].
*[[Chicago O' Hare International Airport]] via the [[Airport Transit System]] from Parking Lot E, a shuttle bus from [[O'Hare Transfer (Metra)|O'Hare Metra station]], and [[Metra]]'s [[North Central Service]].
*[[Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport]] via two shuttle buses and the [[Trinity Railway Express]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.trinityrailwayexpress.org/dfw.html |title=(TRE) Travel to DFW Airport |publisher=Trinity Railway Express |access-date=11 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111110153016/http://www.trinityrailwayexpress.org/dfw.html |archive-date=10 November 2011 |url-status = live}}</ref>
*[[Dallas Love Field]] via a shuttle bus to [[Dallas Area Rapid Transit|DART's]] [[Inwood/Love Field Station]].
*[[Edmonton International Airport]] via 747 shuttle bus to the [[Century Park station (Edmonton)|Century Park Light Rail station]].
*[[LaGuardia Airport]] all terminals via [[New York City Transit buses|MTA New York City Bus]]:
**[[M60 (New York City bus)|M60]] to [[Astoria Boulevard (BMT Astoria Line)|Astoria Boulevard]] (New York City Subway {{NYCS trains|Astoria}}), [[125th Street (IRT Lexington Avenue Line)|125th Street & Lexington Avenue]] ({{NYCS trains|Lexington}}), [[Harlem–125th Street (Metro-North station)|Harlem–125th Street]] (Metro-North commuter trains), [[125th Street (IRT Lenox Avenue Line)|125th Street & Lenox Avenue]] ({{NYCS trains|Lenox}}), [[125th Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)|125th Street & St. Nicholas Avenue]] ({{NYCS trains|Eighth center}}) and [[Cathedral Parkway–110th Street (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line)|Cathedral Parkway–110th Street]] ({{NYCS trains|Broadway-Seventh north local}}).
**[[Q48 (New York City bus)|Q48]] to [[111th Street (IRT Flushing Line)|111th Street]] ({{NYCS trains|Flushing local}}), [[Mets–Willets Point (IRT Flushing Line)|Mets–Willets Point]] ({{NYCS trains|Flushing}}), [[Flushing–Main Street (IRT Flushing Line)|Flushing–Main Street]] ({{NYCS trains|Flushing}}) and [[Flushing–Main Street (LIRR station)|Flushing–Main Street]] ([[Long Island Rail Road]] [[Port Washington Branch]] trains).
**Additionally, the {{NYC bus link|Q47|Q70|Q72}} also go to selected terminals of the LaGuardia Airport.
*[[John F. Kennedy International Airport]]: served by {{NYC bus link|B15|Q3|Q6|Q7|Q10}} bus routes.
**Formerly, [[John F. Kennedy International Airport]] in New York City had a shuttle bus to the [[Howard Beach – JFK Airport (IND Rockaway Line)|Howard Beach – JFK Airport]] station ({{NYCS Rockaway}} and [[JFK Express]] trains). The JFK Express trains were canceled in April 1990. The shuttle bus was replaced by [[AirTrain JFK]] in 2003.
*[[Los Angeles International Airport]] via a shuttle bus and the [[C Line (Los Angeles Metro)|Metro C Line]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mta.net/riding_metro/riders_guide/airport.htm |title=LA Metro Home |publisher=Mta.net |date=22 April 2010 |access-date=11 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928001926/http://www.mta.net/riding_metro/riders_guide/airport.htm |archive-date=28 September 2007 |url-status = live}}</ref> or Amtrak California<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dot.ca.gov/programs/rail-and-mass-transportation|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050305045438/http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/rail/depots/stops/lxa.htm|url-status=dead|title=Rail and Mass Transportation &#124; Caltrans|archivedate=5 March 2005|website=dot.ca.gov}}</ref> or [[FlyAway Bus]]
*Milwaukee's [[General Mitchell International Airport]] via a shuttle bus and Amtrak.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak%2Fam2Route%2FVertical_Route_Page&c=am2Route&cid=1081256321481&ssid=133 |title=Hiawatha, Milwaukee - Chicago |publisher=Amtrak |access-date=26 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050828203244/http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak%2Fam2Route%2FVertical_Route_Page&cid=1081256321481&c=am2Route&ssid=133 |archive-date=28 August 2005 |url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/travel/rail/mars.htm |title=Mitchell Airport Railroad Station – Wisconsin Department of Transportation |publisher=Dot.wisconsin.gov |date=30 September 2010 |access-date=11 November 2011 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080912030537/http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/travel/rail/mars.htm |archive-date=12 September 2008 }}</ref>
*[[Montréal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport]] via [[List of Société de transport de Montréal bus routes|route 747]] to the metro system at [[Lionel-Groulx station|Lionel-Groulx]] and [[Berri-UQAM station|Berri-UQAM]] stations, as well as stops downtown along [[Boulevard Rene-Levesque]].
*[[Newburgh (city), New York|Newburgh]], NY – [[Stewart International Airport]] via the Leprechaun Lines commuter bus to [[Beacon (Metro-North station)|Beacon]] station (Metro-North commuter trains) to New York City.
*[[San Diego International Airport]] via Route 992 to Santa Fe Depot/America Plaza stations on the [[San Diego Trolley]] Blue and Orange Lines, or TROLLEY → TERMINAL shuttle bus to Middletown station on the [[San Diego Trolley]] Green Line<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.san.org/Parking-Transportation/Public-Transportation#117819-trolley-service|title=Public Transportation|website=www.san.org|access-date=9 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170903061157/http://www.san.org/Parking-Transportation/Public-Transportation#117819-trolley-service|archive-date=3 September 2017|url-status = live}}</ref>
*[[San Francisco International Airport]] via [[SamTrans]] route SFO to [[Millbrae station]].
*[[San Jose International Airport]] via a shuttle bus from the Santa Clara [[Caltrain]] station or [[Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority|VTA]]'s [[Metro/Airport (VTA)|Metro/Airport Light Rail Station]].
*[[Orlando International Airport]] via [[Brightline]] (Opened September 22, 2023)
*[[Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport]] via shuttle bus to [[Sonoma–Marin Area Rail Transit]].
*[[Toronto Pearson International Airport]] via Route 900 Airport Express to [[Line 2 Bloor–Danforth]] at [[Kipling (TTC)|Kipling subway station]]; Route 52A Lawrence West to [[Line 1 Yonge-University]] at [[Lawrence (TTC)|Lawrence]] and [[Lawrence West (TTC)|Lawrence West]] stations; Routes 300A Bloor-Danforth to [[Line 2 Bloor-Danforth]] line and 332 Eglinton West (overnight only) to [[Line 1 Yonge-University]] at [[Warden (TTC)|Warden]] and [[Eglinton (TTC)|Eglinton]]/[[Eglinton West (TTC)|Eglinton West]] stations respectively
* Toronto [[Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport]] (Toronto island) via shuttle bus to [[Line 1 Yonge–University]] and all [[GO Transit]] lines at [[Union Station (Toronto)|Union Station]]
*[[Washington Dulles International Airport]] via Washington Flyer or Dulles Flyer to the [[Wiehle – Reston East (WMATA station)|Wiehle – Reston East]] station (Washington Metro)


====South America====
===Rail to people mover===
[[File:Düsseldorf - International (Rhein-Ruhr - Lohausen) (DUS - EDDL) AN0361464.jpg|thumb|[[H-Bahn|SkyTrain]], Dusseldorf]]
Examples include [[Soekarno–Hatta International Airport]] via [[Soekarno–Hatta Airport Skytrain]] to/from [[SHIA railway station|Bandara Soekarno-Hatta]] station, [[London Luton Airport]] via [[Luton DART]] to/from [[Luton Airport Parkway railway station|Luton Airport Parkway]] station, and [[Orly Airport|Paris Orly Airport]] via [[Orlyval]] to/from [[Antony station|Antony]] station.


===Rail to shuttle bus===
*[[São Paulo–Guarulhos International Airport]] via shuttle bus from [[Aeroporto–Guarulhos (CPTM)|Aeroporto-Guarulhos]] railway station.
*[[Salvador Bahia Airport]] via shuttle bus from [[Salvador Metro|Aeroporto]] railway station.
Examples include [[Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport]] via shuttle bus to/from [[Zhengding Airport railway station|Zhengding Airport]] station, [[Salvador Bahia Airport]] via shuttle bus to/from [[Salvador Metro|Aeroporto]] station, and [[Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport]] via shuttle bus to/from [[Milwaukee Airport Railroad Station|Milwaukee Airport]] station.

====Oceania====
*[[Auckland Airport]] via AirportLink shuttle bus from [[Puhinui railway station|Puhinui]] railway station.


==See also==
==See also==

*[[Air-rail alliance]]
*[[Air-rail alliance]]
*[[Intermodal passenger transport]]
*[[List of IATA-indexed train stations]]
*[[List of airport people mover systems]]
*[[List of IATA-indexed railway stations]]


== References ==
== References ==


{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}


== External links ==
== External links ==
* [https://www.heathrowexpress.com/ Heathrow Express]
* [http://www.airrailnews.com Articles about airport rail links on airrail NEWS]


{{Commercial air travel}}
{{Commercial air travel}}

Latest revision as of 11:32, 18 September 2024

"Airport Express Train" redirects here. For other uses, see Airport Express Train (disambiguation).
For stations named "Airport", see Airport Station.

An airport rail link is a service providing passenger rail transport between an airport and a nearby city. Direct links operate straight from the airport terminal to the city, while other links require an intermediate use of a people mover or shuttle bus. Advantages for the passenger include faster travel times and easy connections with other public transport. Advantages for the airport include increased patronage and enhanced accessibility for staff. Additionally, authorities have benefitted from less highway congestion, less pollution, and more business opportunities.

History

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Although airport rail links have been a popular solution in Europe and Japan for decades, only recently have links been constructed in North America, South America, Africa, Oceania, and the rest of Asia.

Some early examples of inter-city railway stations built to serve an airport include:

Station Country Opened Details
Don Mueang Thailand 1898 Serves Don Mueang International Airport which opened in 1924
Schönefeld (bei Berlin) Germany 1951 Served Berlin Schönefeld Airport, now serves Berlin Brandenburg Airport
Gatwick Airport United Kingdom 1958 Rebuilt to directly serve Gatwick Airport
Brussels Airport-Zaventem Belgium 1958 Serves Brussels Airport
Frankfurt am Main Flughafen Regionalbahnhof Germany 1972 Serves Frankfurt Airport

The first rapid transit station to connect with an airport was Berlin's U-Bahn U6 Paradestraße station which opened in 1927 as Flughafen (lit. 'airport') and was built to provide direct access to Berlin Tempelhof Airport. However, the connection was removed in 1937 and the preceding Platz der Luftbrücke station was instead granted the connection and remained so until Berlin Tempelhof Airport's closure in 2008.

Other early examples of rapid transit stations connecting with airports include Boston's MBTA Blue Line Airport station which opened in 1952 (rebuilt in 2004), and Cleveland's RTA Rapid Transit Red Line Cleveland Hopkins International Airport station which opened in 1968 (rebuilt in 1994). Boston's link requires a short shuttle bus transfer from the station to the airport terminal, whilst Cleveland's link is considered the first direct service in the Western Hemisphere.

Connection types

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High-speed rail and inter-city rail

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A high-speed or inter-city service provides direct travel between an airport and its surrounding cities. This solution usually requires the building of new track, whether it is a newly built main line or a branch (spur) line. These services often have premium fares, lower frequencies (e.g. every 30 minutes) and luxury features (e.g. luggage racks, power outlets, Wi-Fi, bathrooms).

Integration with high-speed and inter-city services has produced alliances where airlines sell tickets that include the connecting rail service. Parts of Europe have seen integration of high-speed rail stations into airports, with domestic and international TGV services from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport and ICE services from Frankfurt Airport. Because of this, some stations have received IATA codes.

Regional rail and commuter rail

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Leonardo Express, Rome

A regional or commuter "airport express" service provides direct travel between an airport and its city centre. This solution is often used where the airport is outside the urban area and some way from the mass transit system but a direct downtown service is required. There are various ways this can be achieved: it may operate on a combination of existing or newly built mainline rail track using a dedicated fleet of rolling stock designed for airport service. Similarly to high-speed and inter-city services, these services often have premium fares, lower frequencies and luxury features.

Rapid transit

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Capital Airport Express, Beijing

For airports built within or close to the city limits, extending a rapid transit network like a metro or tram to the airport allows seamless transport to suburbs and full integration with other lines. These services usually have a higher frequency (e.g. every 5 minutes) but longer travel times due to the service making many intermediate stops between the airport and the city centre. Additionally, there may not be enough space for baggage commonly carried by airport-bound passengers. Luggage stowing facilities are not commonly found on rapid transit vehicles as their primary objective is to provide high-capacity service.

Rail to people mover

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See also: People mover
AirTrain JFK, New York City

A hybrid solution adopted in some cities is a direct link to an airport railway station connected to a people mover. The passenger transfers from the railway station to the people mover which then completes the journey to the airport terminal. While this option is commonly chosen to reduce construction costs, it is only feasible when a rail line is near the airport. Some airports, such as San Francisco International Airport, are directly served by an airport rail link to some terminals but not others. In such cases, passengers using terminals that lack a direct connection must use a people mover to access their terminal. People movers typically also serve parking lots, airport hotels and off-site car rental facilities. People movers are seen to have a higher perceived quality compared to a shuttle bus.

Rail to shuttle bus

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See also: Airport bus

Another hybrid solution is a direct link to an airport railway station connected to a shuttle bus. The passenger transfers from the railway station to the shuttle bus which then completes the journey to the airport terminal. A shuttle bus requires no specialised infrastructure, and is often the preferred choice at smaller or low-cost airports. Shuttle buses may involve a wait for a transfer to the next stage of the journey and often suffer from lower perceived quality and market share compared to direct connections.

Current examples

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Main article: List of airport rail link systems

High-speed rail and inter-city rail

[edit]
RER B, Paris

Examples include Schipol Airport station to other Dutch cities, Zürich Flughafen station to other Swiss cities, and Daxing Airport station to other Chinese cities.

Regional rail and commuter rail

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Examples include the Narita Express between Narita International Airport and Tokyo, the Union Pearson Express between Toronto Pearson International Airport and Toronto, and the Leonardo Express between Leonardo da Vinci–Rome Fiumicino Airport and Rome.

Rapid transit

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Examples include the East–West Line between Changi Airport station and Singapore, the Silver Line between Washington Dulles International Airport station and Washington, D.C., and the Orange Line between DFW Airport Terminal A station and Dallas.

Rail to people mover

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SkyTrain, Dusseldorf

Examples include Soekarno–Hatta International Airport via Soekarno–Hatta Airport Skytrain to/from Bandara Soekarno-Hatta station, London Luton Airport via Luton DART to/from Luton Airport Parkway station, and Paris Orly Airport via Orlyval to/from Antony station.

Rail to shuttle bus

[edit]

Examples include Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport via shuttle bus to/from Zhengding Airport station, Salvador Bahia Airport via shuttle bus to/from Aeroporto station, and Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport via shuttle bus to/from Milwaukee Airport station.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
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