AirTrain JFK originally had ten stations, but the Terminal 2 stop was closed in 2022.Īll passengers entering or exiting at either Jamaica or Howard Beach must pay a $8.25 fare, while passengers traveling within the airport can ride for free. Several improvements were proposed after the system's opening, including an unbuilt extension to Manhattan. The system opened on December 17, 2003, after many delays. During construction, AirTrain JFK was the subject of several lawsuits, and an operator died during one of the system's test runs. Construction of the current people-mover system began in 1998. In-depth planning for a dedicated transport system at JFK began in 1990, but was ultimately cut back from a direct rail link to an intra-borough people mover.

The JFK Express subway service and shuttle buses provided an unpopular transport system to and around JFK. Various plans surfaced to build a JFK Airport rail connection until the 1990s, though these were not carried out because of a lack of funding. Alstom operates AirTrain JFK under contract to the airport's operator, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.Ī railroad link to JFK Airport was first recommended in 1968. It connects the airport's terminals with the New York City Subway in Howard Beach, Queens, and with the Long Island Rail Road and the subway in Jamaica, Queens. The driverless system operates 24/7 and consists of three lines and nine stations within the New York City borough of Queens. Kennedy International Airport (JFK Airport) in New York City. AirTrain JFK is an 8.1-mile-long (13 km) elevated people mover system and airport rail link serving John F.

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