Phoenix Sky Train – Phase 1

The Phoenix Sky Train is an electric train located at America’s Friendliest Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. There are 2 phases to the Sky train, the first being introduced in April of 2013, and the second in December of 2022. The first phase consists of a 1.7-mile segment stretching from 44^th St./Washington, all the way to the Rental Car Center, with both East Economy & 24^th St. Economy parking structures, and Terminals 3 & 4 in between. Phase 2 included a new station at 24^th St. & Buckeye Road, which benefits those living in the West Valley, adding 1,600 parking spaces, drop-off & pick-up curbs, electric car charging ports, and easier access from the neighboring highways. The 24 cars of the train system operate 24 hours a day, with stops every 3-5 minutes, making the travel time from the beginning to the end of the line in 13 minutes. Each car can hold up to 53 passengers, and it’s expected that the daily ridership could reach 79,000 occupants.

These trains are highly accessible, even for those in wheelchairs. It is also highly efficient and sustainable; 23% of all building materials were manufactured with recycled materials, air handlers & chillers to reduce consumption by 30%, & plumbing features that reduce the airports baseline water usage by 43%. This $745 million project did not use any tax dollar money, and instead was paid for with Rental Car Customer Facility Charges & Airline Passenger Facility Charges. Stage 2 of this project received the Envision Gold Award, presented by the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure. This award was given after the Sky train was evaluated across 60 different criteria.