Airport rail link
An airport rail link is a service providing passenger rail transport from an airport to a nearby city; by mainline- or 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 shuttle bus.
Although airport rail links have been popular solutions in Europe and Japan for decades, only recently have links been constructed in North America and 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 congestion, less pollution, and additional business opportunities. Additionally, the links benefit airports by drawing in more passengers via easy access.
Mass transit
For airports built within or close to the city limits, extending mass transit 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. A common solution involves building a separate people mover from a mass transit station to the airport terminal, often using automated systems, allowing faster travel time and fare discrimination, for instance Orlyval.
Mainline rail
Dedicated railway lines to airports have become popular since the 1980s, with airport terminals for airport express, intercity and commuter trains, allowing direct travel to the check-in halls. This solution requires the building of new track; a cheaper option is to open a new station on an existing line, connected to the airport by people mover or shuttle bus.
Integration with intercity services has produced alliances where airlines sell the connecting rail service. Central Europe has seen integration of high-speed rail into airports, with domestic and international TGV and ICE services from Charles de Gaulle International Airport and Frankfurt Airport. Because of this, many airport stations have received IATA codes.
Other airports instead 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. Other airports, such as London Heathrow Airport, are served by both express trains and mass transit.
These solutions often have the drawback of lower frequencies (e.g. twice per hour).
Shuttle
Where there is no train station at the airport, a shuttle system is required for the last part of the journey; using either a people mover (often automated, such as AirTrain JFK in New York City) or a bus. The former allows low operating costs[citation needed] 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.
In some airports, the rail link only serves one terminal or concourse directly; passengers using other terminals must use an airport circulator. Circulators typically also serve parking lots, and sometimes airport hotels and off-site car rental locations.
Connection types
One-seat ride via main-line train
Commuter rail-type service directly from a city centre to the airport, without needing to change trains and sometimes without intermediate stops;
Africa
- In Johannesburg, South Africa, the Gautrain system links Johannesburg International Airport to the cities of Johannesburg and to Pretoria and well as Sandton.
Asia
- Bangkok
- Beijing Capital International Airport via Airport Express, Beijing Subway
- Changchun Longjia International Airport via Changchun–Jilin Intercity Railway
- Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport via Airport Express
- Haikou Meilan International Airport via Hainan Eastern Ring Railway
- Hong Kong International Airport via Airport Express
- İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport via Suburban Train of İzmir
- Kuala Lumpur International Airport via KLIA Ekspres
- Seoul Incheon and Gimpo airports via A'REX
- Busan Gimhae International Airport via Busan-Gimhae Light Rail Transit
- Nagoya Chubu Centrair International Airport via Nagoya Railroad's Meitetsu Airport Line
- Osaka Kansai International Airport via JR West's Haruka and Nankai Railway's Rapi:t
- Sapporo Chitose International Airport via JR Hokkaido's Chitose Line
- Sendai Airport via Sendai Airport Line
- Shanghai
- Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International Airport via Israel Railways
- Tokyo Narita International Airport via JR East's Narita Express and Keisei Electric Railway's Skyliner
Taiwan Taoyuan International airport express from Taipei Main Station under construction from 2006–2013. Part of Taoyuan Mass Rapid Transit System.
Europe
- Amsterdam Schiphol Airport via the Thalys and Dutch Railways
- Athens Eleftherios Venizelos Airport via the Proastiakos suburban railway service
- Barcelona International Airport via RENFE commuter train
- Berlin Brandeburg Airport via regional, InterCity, InterCityExpress and EuroCity rail (starting 3 June 2012)
- Birmingham International Airport via Virgin Trains.
- Brussels Airport via National Railway Company of Belgium
- Budapest Ferihegy International Airport by MÁV(Terminal 1 only)
- Cologne Bonn Airport via ICE high-speed, regional and local trains.
- Copenhagen Airport via Kystbanen and InterCity services; direct trains to many cities in Denmark and Sweden.
- Douglas, Isle of Man via Isle of Man Steam Railway
- Düsseldorf International Airport via ICE high-speed, InterCity, regional and local trains.
- Frankfurt International Airport via ICE high-speed, InterCity, regional and local trains.
- Friedrichshafen Airport near Lake Constance by regional train.
- Geneva-Cointrin Airport via Swiss Federal Railways
- Glasgow, Prestwick International Airport via the Ayrshire Coast Line
- Hamburg, Hamburg Airport via Hamburg S-Bahn rapid transit
- Krakow Airport to/from city center via local trains
- Leipzig/Halle Airport via local and InterCity trains.
- London
- Heathrow Airport via Heathrow Express or Heathrow Connect.
- Gatwick Airport via Gatwick Express and other Brighton Main Line services.
- Stansted Airport via Stansted Express or CrossCountry.
- Luton Airport via Thameslink or East Midlands Trains.
- Southend Airport via NXEA service.
- Lyon airport via TGV.
- Lübeck, Lübeck Airport non-stop via regional trains.
- Manchester Airport (TransPennine Express, Northern Rail operated as per a normal train service).
- Malaga Airport via Cercanias Malaga service.
- Milan Malpensa International Airport via Malpensa Express.[1]
- Moscow. All services are operated by Aeroexpress company
- Oslo Airport, Gardermoen via the Airport Express Train
- Paris
- Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport via TGV to many French cities.
- Palermo Airport via local trains
- Pisa Galileo Galilei International Airport: connections to Pisa's central station and Florence
- Rome Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport via Leonardo Express[2]
- Southampton Airport by South West Trains and CrossCountry
- Stockholm Arlanda via Arlanda Express and InterCity, and local Uppsala trains
- Strasbourg Airport via TER Alsace regional trains
- Vienna International Airport via City Airport Train (CAT)
- Vilnius International Airport via Lithuanian Railways
- Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport and new Modlin Airport being built for no-frills airlines via Szybka Kolej Miejska (Warsaw) (to be open in 2010)
- Trondheim Airport, Norway, via regional trains on Nordlandsbanen.
- Zurich-Kloten International Airport via Swiss Federal Railways
North America
- Anchorage International Airport via Alaska Railroad (Service available to cruise passengers only)
- Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California (Los Angeles area) via Metrolink or Amtrak
- Philadelphia International Airport via SEPTA Regional Rail
- San Francisco International Airport in South San Francisco, California via Bay Area Rapid Transit
- T.F. Green Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island via MBTA Commuter Rail
- South Bend Regional Airport in South Bend, Indiana via South Shore Line (NICTD)
Oceania
- Brisbane Airport via Airtrain
- Sydney Airport, Sydney via Airport and East Hills railway line
One-seat ride via local public transport
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. 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 airport circulator to reach other terminals or concourses.
Asia
- Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport via Suvarnabhumi Airport City Line
- Beijing Capital International Airport via Beijing Subway Airport Line
- Busan Gimhae International Airport via BGLRT
- Dubai International Airport via Dubai Metro Red Line
- Fukuoka Airport via Fukuoka Subway
- Gwangju International Airport via Gwangju Subway Line 1
- İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport via Suburban Train of İzmir
- Kaohsiung International Airport via Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit Red Line
- KolkataNetaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport viaKolkata Suburban Railway Airport Line EMUs (known as BimanBandar Locals)
- Kobe Airport via Port Liner
- Kuala Lumpur International Airport via the KLIA Transit
- Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport via Mumbai Metro (under construction)
- New Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport via Delhi Airport Metro Express (Golden line of Delhi Metro)
- Naha Airport via Okinawa Monorail
- Osaka International Airport (Itami) via Osaka Monorail
- Seoul Gimpo International Airport via Seoul Subway Line 5 & Seoul Subway Line 9
- Singapore Changi Airport via SMRT Corporation's East West MRT Line (cross-platform interchange at Tanah Merah MRT Station since 2004, shuttle service only)
- Taipei:
- Songshan Airport via Taipei Metro Neihu Line
- Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport via the commuter train of Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Access MRT System to Taipei Railway Station. (Completed by 2013)
- Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport via the Blue Line (Taoyuan MRT) to Huanbei, Zhongli (under construction, to begin service by 2013)
- Tianjin Binhai International Airport via Tianjin Metro Line 2 (under construction, to be completed by 2010)
- Tokyo International Airport (Haneda) via Tokyo Monorail's Local and Rapid services or Keihin Electric Express Railway
Europe
- Athens Eleftherios Venizelos Airport via the Athens Metro
- Berlin Brandenburg Airport via Berlin S-Bahn (beginning 3 June 2012, Berlin-Schonefeld International Airport connected until then)
- Bremen Airport by Bremer Straßenbahn
- Copenhagen Airport via Copenhagen Metro
- Dresden Airport via Dresden S-Bahn
- Frankfurt International Airport via Rhein-Main S-Bahn and Regional-Express.
- Hamburg Airport via Hamburg S-Bahn, mass rapid transit, green line
- Istanbul Ataturk International Airport via Istanbul's Light metro
- Kerry Airport via Iarnrod Eireann services to Farranfore from Tralee and Mallow
- London:
- Lyon Airport via Rhônexpress
- Madrid Barajas International Airport via Madrid Metro Line 8. It used to have check-in facilities in the city center terminus of the line, that has been abandoned due to high costs and low use. Also via Cercanías Madrid commuter trains by Renfe operadora (under construction, expected entry in service in 2011).
- Munich International Airport via Munich S-Bahn
- Newcastle Airport via the Tyne and Wear Metro
- Nuremberg Airport via Nuremberg U-Bahn
- Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport via RER B
- Stuttgart Airport via Stuttgart S-Bahn
- Turin Caselle Airport via Turin Metro
- Vienna International Airport via Vienna S-Bahn
North America
- Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport via MARTA
- Baltimore-Washington International Airport via the Baltimore Light Rail
- Cleveland's Hopkins International Airport via Cleveland Rapid Transit (the first direct rail connection in the United States)
- Chicago
- Mexico City International Airport via the Mexico City Metro's Line 5
- Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport via the Hiawatha Line
- Portland International Airport in Portland, Oregon via Portland MAX
- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Seattle, Washington via Central Link
- St. Louis' Lambert-St. Louis International Airport via the St. Louis MetroLink
- Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, British Columbia via Skytrain
- Washington, DC area's Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia via the Washington Metro
- Vancouver International Airport in Vancouver, British Columbia via the SkyTrain Canada Line
Rail to airport people mover
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 or other train 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 terminals. Examples: Paris-de Gaulle and San Francisco.
Europe
- Paris Orly Airport via Orlyval, a people mover that connects to the RER network at Antony
- Birmingham International Airport via a pair of light-rail vehicles, connects the airport terminal to Birmingham International Railway Station, where the West Coast Main Line runs to Birmingham, Coventry and London.
- Frankfurt Airport Terminal 2 via Sky Line to Terminal 1, Regional- and Long Distance Train Station
North America
- Chicago O' Hare International Airport via the Airport Transit System from Parking Lot E, a shuttle bus from O'Hare Metra station, and Metra's North Central Service.
- John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City via AirTrain JFK to Jamaica station (Long Island Rail Road trains and New York City Subway E, J, and Z trains) or Howard Beach – JFK Airport (A train).
- Miami International Airport via an airport People Mover and Miami Central Station, a future stop for the Miami-Dade Metrorail, Amtrak, and Tri-Rail (Under Construction)
- Newark Liberty International Airport via AirTrain Newark and its train station, a stop for Amtrak and NJ Transit (Used by Continental Airlines as if it were a connecting airline.[3])
- San Francisco International Airport via AirTrain SFO. While the BART station is immediately adjacent to the International terminal and all terminals are physically connected, many people transfer to AirTrain to get to other terminals because of the airport's large size.
- Providence, Rhode Island's T.F. Green Airport is connected to the MBTA Commuter Rail and Amtrak by people mover. Service is provided to Providence and Boston.
Rail to bus to airport
Another common arrangement requires the passenger to take a train (or metro) to a railway station (usually) 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.
Asia
- Cheongju International Airport via shuttle bus from Korail Cheongju Airport Station
- Daegu International Airport via local buses from Daegu Subway Ayanggyo Station.
- Ninoy Aquino International Airport via shuttle bus from Taft Avenue MRT Station.
- Taichung International Airport via Taichung Bus number 9 and 69 from TRA Taichung Station or no. 115 from THSR Taichung Station and Xinwuri Station.
- Taoyuan International Airport via shuttle bus from THSR Taoyuan Station, via express bus from Taipei Station, TRA Taichung Station and TRA Changhua Station or via local bus from Banqiao Station, TRA Taoyuan Station, Zhongli Station and many Taipei Metro stations; however, taking the Airbus no. 2061 to TRA Linkou Line Nanshiang station is possible. The walking distance between the nearest bus stop Nankan Evergreen and the station is about 600 ft., but the train service is very limited.
Europe
- Aberdeen Airport, Scotland via Dyce railway station and 80 Dyce Airlink shuttle bus. In addition to linking the airport with Aberdeen, Dyce railway station also provides direct connections to Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness, as well as intermediate stations on those lines.
- Bristol International Airport, England, by frequent express coach 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 Arriva Trains Wales services and a frequent shuttle bus from Cardiff International Airport Station.
- 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
- London Luton Airport via shuttle bus from Luton Airport Parkway railway station
- Moscow Sheremetyevo, minibuses from the metro station Rechnoi Vokzal
- The Moss Airport, Rygge and the Sandefjord Airport, Torp in Norway have introduced free shuttle buses to nearby regional railway stations.
North America
- Albuquerque International Sunport via a shuttle bus and the 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 Amtrak service.
- Boston's Logan International Airport via:
- A free shuttle bus and the MBTA Blue Line.
- The Silver Line Bus Rapid Transit service connecting with the MBTA Red Line (a free transfer) and commuter rail at South Station.
- Dallas
- Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport via two shuttle buses and the Trinity Railway Express[4]
- Dallas Love Field via a shuttle bus to DART's Inwood/Love Field Station.
- Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport via a shuttle bus to the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport Station
- LaGuardia Airport all terminals via MTA New York City Bus:
- M60 Bus to Astoria Boulevard (New York City Subway N and W trains), 125th Street & Lexington Avenue (4, 5, 6, and <6> trains), Harlem – 125th Street (Metro-North commuter trains), 125th Street & Lenox Avenue (2 and 3 trains), 125th Street & St. Nicholas Avenue (A, B, C, and D trains) and Cathedral Parkway – 110th Street (1 train).
- Q48 Bus to 111th Street (7 train), Mets – Willets Point (7 and <7> trains and seasonal Long Island Rail Road trains), Flushing – Main Street (7 and <7> trains and Long Island Rail Road trains).
- Los Angeles International Airport via a shuttle bus and the Metro Green Line[5] or Amtrak California[6] or FlyAway Bus
- Miami International Airport via shuttle bus and Tri-Rail or Metrorail
- Milwaukee's General Mitchell International Airport via a shuttle bus and Amtrak.[7][8]
- Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport via AirConnect shuttle bus and Via Rail or the STM 747 Express Bus to Lionel-Groulx metro station or directly downtown.
- Newburgh, NY – Stewart International Airport via the Leprechaun Lines communter bus to Beacon station (Metro-North commuter trains) to New York City.
- Oakland International Airport via AirBART and BART or Amtrak Capitol Corridor
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport via shuttle to Washington at 44th Street Station of the Valley Metro Light Rail System
- San Jose International Airport via a shuttle bus from the Santa Clara Caltrain station or VTA's Metro/Airport Light Rail Station.
- Washington Dulles International Airport via Washington Flyer or Dulles Flyer to the West Falls Church station (Washington Metro trains).
John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City formerly had a shuttle bus to the Howard Beach – JFK Airport station (A and JFK Express trains). The JFK Express trains were canceled in April 1990. The shuttle bus was replaced by AirTrain JFK in 2003.
South America
- São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport via Airport Bus Service from São Paulo Metro Palmeiras-Barra Funda or Portuguesa-Tiete Station.
Oceania
- Melbourne, Australia:
- Melbourne Airport via Skybus Super Shuttle service from Southern Cross Station.
- Avalon Airport via bus shuttle service from Southern Cross Station.
Future
Other cities are considering airport rail link services.
- Melbourne, Australia – Planning for a branch line off the Geelong line near Lara Station to Avalon Airport has begun, and design funding provided for in the Victorian state budget.[9]
- Cape Town, South Africa – a R3.5 billion rail link between Cape Town International Airport and Cape Town Station is planned to start construction in 2013.[citation needed]
- Dubai Metro – Purple Line – express route between Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport
- Alexandria, Egypt[10]
- Dublin Airport in Dublin, Ireland is one of the main destinations of the (in planning) Dublin Metro.
- Diosdado Macapagal International Airport via Airport Railway (planned)
- Edinburgh Airport will be served by the Edinburgh tram network in 2011 which will link into a new airport railway station on the existing Edinburgh to Aberdeen railway line.
- Poland:
- In Wrocław the Copernicus Airport is planned to get an underground station below the airport, to be finished around 2010–2015.
- In Gdansk there are plans for a railway link between Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa Airport and Gdansk Glowny[citation needed]. The link is expected to become operational by summer 2012, when Poland will co-host Euro 2012 (2012 UEFA European Football Championship).
- Helsinki Airport in Finland, where a suburban railway, the Ring Rail Line is under construction which will connect to the airport. Traffic opening expected in 2014.
- In Kiev, Ukraine there are plans for a railway link between Boryspil Airport and Kiev Passenger Railway Station. The link is expected to become operational by summer 2012, when Ukraine will co-host Euro 2012 (2012 UEFA European Football Championship). It is not currently clear at what speeds and how often trains would be departing.
- Prague, proposed in 2008[11]
- United States:
- In Sacramento, future plans calls for a light rail line that would connect Sacramento Station to the Sacramento International Airport.
- Oakland is proposing to replace an AirBART bus with a people mover system that would connect the airport terminal buildings to the Coliseum station, as part of the Oakland Airport Connector project.
- Denver’s East Corridor line connecting to Aurora and Denver International Airport is currently under construction.
- Jacksonville International Airport plans to add an AirTrain service sometime in 2013
- New York City's LaGuardia Airport has been proposed to be reached by extensions of the New York City Subway or AirTrain JFK.
- Las Vegas has an ongoing discussion about extending the monorail into McCarran International Airport. Also in the Vegas area, the planned Ivanpah Airport is sited on the right of way for the proposed maglev demonstration project.
- Salt Lake City’s TRAX light rail system is being extended from Downtown to Salt Lake City International Airport.
- Washington Metro is being extended via the Silver Line to Dulles International Airport.
- Canada:
- In Calgary, plans are being developed to extend the C-Train to Calgary International Airport in the northeast of the city.
- In Edmonton, an extension of the LRT is proposed to connect Edmonton International Airport with downtown.
- In Toronto, the new Air Rail Link under construction will run from Toronto Pearson International Airport to Union Station downtown.
- In Ottawa, there have been plans to extend the O-Train to the Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport.
- In Montreal, there are discussions of a direct rail link between Gare Centrale or Lucien L'Allier train station and Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport.
- Serbia:
- Belgrade Airport is to be connected with city via airport express bus.[12] Airport is currently connected with public transport's line 72,[13] but it runs on every 30–40 minutes and ride is around 60 to 90 minutes long. There are also plans for constructing rail link.[14]
See also
External links
References
- ^ http://www.ferrovienord.it/webmxp/
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ "connecting airline". Continental.com. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
- ^ "(TRE) Travel to DFW Airport". Trinity Railway Express. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
- ^ "LA Metro Home". Mta.net. 22 April 2010. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
- ^ Amtrak California[dead link]
- ^ http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/am2Route/Vertical_Route_Page&c=am2Route&cid=1081256321481&ssid=133
- ^ "Mitchell Airport Railroad Station – Wisconsin Department of Transportation". Dot.wisconsin.gov. 30 September 2010. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
- ^ "Coalition Government to start planning Avalon rail link". Minister for Public Transport, Victoria. Retrieved 26 November 2011.
- ^ "Transportation Industry: Egyptian National Railways – Egypt". International Railway Journal. Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation. 2001. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
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ignored (help) - ^ Railway Gazette International July 2008 403.
- ^ Serbian: http://www.aviokarta.net/vesti/603-poboljsanje-prevoza-do-aerodroma-od-juna/
- ^ Serbian: http://www.gsp.rs/linija.asp?id=72
- ^ http://www.beoland.com/zemljiste/karte/03_plan_saobracaj.jpg