Ньюарк Әуежайының Монорельс Жүйесінің Жаңғырту Жоспары

Monorail system at Newark Liberty International Airport

AirTrain Newark is a 3 mile (5 km) monorail people mover system connecting the terminals at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and trains at Newark Liberty International Airport Station on the Northeast Corridor (NEC), where transfers are possible to Amtrak and NJ Transit's Northeast Corridor Line and North Jersey Coast Line. The monorail opened in 1996, and as of 2019, is planned to be replaced.

The monorail opened in 1996 and initially served only as an airport circulator, a service which allows passengers to transfer between airport terminals or concourses. The monorail track was refurbished and extended to the NEC, with construction beginning in 1997. The system reopened for service on October 21, 2000. When first opened in 1996 a fleet of 12 six car trains ran on the network. It was later expanded to 18 six car trains. The contract to build the system was awarded to Von Roll, but the project was finished by Adtranz, who acquired Von Roll's monorail division while the system was being built. Adtranz was later acquired by Bombardier Transportation, which was itself purchased by Alstom, who continues to operate the AirTrain under contract to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the operator of the airport. AirTrain service was suspended from May 1, 2014, for 75 days, until mid July, to allow repairs. Repairs were completed early, and the service re opened on July 3.

The system has a projected lifespan of 25 years. However, in January 2019, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced a plan for a $2 billion replacement project for the AirTrain. Murphy has stated that replacement is necessary because the system is reaching the end of its projected 25 year life and is subject to persistent delays and breakdowns. The Port Authority would be responsible for funding the project. In October 2019, the Port Authority board approved the replacement project with an estimated cost of $2.05 billion. Construction was expected to start in 2021 and be completed in 2024. A draft environmental impact statement was completed in February 2021 when the proposed opening date was shifted to 2026. In December 2023, the Port Authority announced that Doppelmayr will construct the replacement system.

The train is free, except for passengers travelling to and from the Newark Liberty International Airport rail station to connect with NJ Transit or Amtrak who must pay an $8.50 "AirTrain access fee". When passengers purchase a rail ticket to or from the station the fee is automatically added to the ticket price and a barcode is printed on the ticket that is used to pass through the faregate array between the AirTrain platform and the train platform. Passengers using passes to another station and those who pay a cash fare on board the train must purchase a separate AirTrain ticket from machines located on either side of the faregates. Child tickets (ages 5 to 11) are exempt from this additional fare. The access fee has been raised several times since the system was built, with the last increase to $8.50 coming into effect on March 1, 2024.