10 Years of Growth—The PHX Sky Train® is Just Getting Started

The PHX Sky Train^® has become such an integral part of the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport landscape that it’s difficult to remember a time when it didn’t exist. But that time was not long ago: The PHX Sky Train^® is celebrating its 10th anniversary!

The first stage of the now-popular people mover opened April 8, 2013 with a 1.7-mile long track that connected Valley Metro Rail and the 44th Street PHX Sky Train^®, East Economy Parking, and Terminal 4. The next 0.7-mile stage opened with service to Terminal 3 in December 2014.

The last stage is a 2.5 mile stretch of guideway that opened Dec. 19, 2022 completing the existing line by linking it to two new stations and an economy parking lot with 1,600 spaces.

The new stations at 24th Street and the Rental Car Center continue the tradition of showcasing original art:

• From the Earth to the Sky by Bill Dambrova is the terrazzo floor in the Rental Car Center Station, while Sky Curtain envelopes the station with different colors that are revealed to passengers on the platform, and LED lighting that enhances the artwork at night.
• Artist Frank Gonzales created Sonoran Essence to illustrate Arizona native plants in terrazzo on the 24th Street PHX Sky Train® Station floor.

This last stage of the PHX Sky Train® also received the Envision Gold Award from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure.

Most importantly, though, is the increased level of service for passengers. Originally, 7,000 people per day were predicted to use the airport transit service when it first opened, but those estimates ended up being about 10,000 people a day, and the one millionth passenger was recognized in July 2013.

In comparison, more than 705,000 passengers were counted in December 2022 alone, and more than 4.9 million passengers rode it all of last year. Clearly, the last stage of the PHX Sky Train® proved to be a popular amenity.

For more information, visit skyharbor.com/phxskytrain.