Airport rail link
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An airport rail link is a service providing passenger rail transport between an airport and a nearby city. Direct links operate straight from the airport terminal to the city, while other links require an intermediate use of a people mover or shuttle bus. Advantages for the passenger include faster travel times and easy connections with other public transport. Advantages for the airport include increased patronage and enhanced accessibility for staff. Additionally, authorities have benefitted from less highway congestion, less pollution, and more business opportunities.
History[edit]
Although airport rail links have been a popular solution in Europe and Japan for decades, only recently have links been constructed in North America, South America, Africa, Oceania, and the rest of Asia.
Some early examples of inter-city railway stations built to serve an airport include:
| Station | Country | Opened | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Don Mueang | Thailand | 1898 | Serves Don Mueang International Airport which opened in 1924 |
| Schönefeld (bei Berlin) | Germany | 1951 | Served Berlin Schönefeld Airport, now serves Berlin Brandenburg Airport |
| Gatwick Airport | United Kingdom | 1958 | Rebuilt to directly serve Gatwick Airport |
| Brussels Airport-Zaventem | Belgium | 1958 | Serves Brussels Airport |
| Frankfurt (Main) Airport | Germany | 1972 | Serves Frankfurt Airport |
The first rapid transit station to connect with an airport was the Berlin U-Bahn's Paradestraße station which opened in 1927 as Flughafen (Airport) and was built to provide direct access to Berlin Tempelhof Airport. However, the connection between Paradestraße and Tempelhof Airport was removed in 1937 and the preceding station Platz der Luftbrücke was instead granted that connection and remained so until Tempelhof Airport's closure in 2008.
Other early examples of rapid transit stations connecting with airports include Boston's MBTA Blue Line Airport station at Logan International Airport which opened in 1952 and rebuilt in 2004, and Cleveland's RTA Rapid Transit Red Line's Cleveland Hopkins International Airport station which opened in 1968 and rebuilt in 1994. Boston's link requires a short shuttle bus transfer from the railway station to the airport terminal, whilst Cleveland's link is considered the first direct service in the Western Hemisphere.
Connection types[edit]
High-speed rail and inter-city rail[edit]
A high-speed or inter-city service provides direct travel between an airport and its surrounding cities. This solution usually requires the building of new track, whether it is a newly built main line or a branch (spur) line from an existing main line. These services often have premium fares, lower frequencies (e.g. every 30 minutes) and luxury features (e.g. luggage racks, power outlets, Wi-Fi, bathrooms).
Integration with high-speed and inter-city services has produced alliances where airlines sell air tickets that include the connecting rail service. Parts of Europe have seen integration of high-speed rail into airports, with domestic and international TGV services from Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV in Paris and ICE services from Frankfurt Airport long-distance station. Because of this, many airport railway stations have received IATA codes.
Regional rail and commuter rail[edit]
A regional or commuter "airport express" service provides direct travel between an airport and its city centre. This solution is often used where the airport is outside the urban area and some way from the mass transit system but a direct downtown service is required. There are various ways this can be achieved: it may operate on a combination of existing or newly built mainline rail track using a dedicated fleet of rolling stock designed for airport service. Similarly to high-speed and inter-city services, these services often have premium fares, lower frequencies and luxury features.
Rapid transit[edit]
For airports built within or close to the city limits, extending a rapid transit network like a metro or tram to the airport allows seamless transport to suburbs and full integration with other lines. These services usually have a higher frequency (e.g. every 5 minutes) but longer travel times due to the service making many intermediate stops between the airport and the city centre. Additionally, there may not be enough space for baggage commonly carried by airport-bound passengers. Luggage stowing facilities are not commonly found on rapid transit vehicles as their primary objective is to provide high-capacity service.
Rail to people mover[edit]
A hybrid solution adopted in some cities is a direct link to an airport railway station connected to a people mover. The passenger transfers from the railway station to the people mover which then completes the journey to the terminal. While this option is commonly chosen to reduce construction costs, it is only feasible when a rail line is near the airport. Some airports, such as San Francisco International Airport, are directly served by an airport rail link to some terminals but not others. In such cases, passengers using terminals that lack a direct connection must use the people mover to access their terminal. People movers typically also serve parking lots, airport hotels and off-site car rental facilities. People movers are seen to have a higher perceived quality compared to a shuttle bus.
Rail to shuttle bus[edit]
Another hybrid solution is a direct link to an airport railway station connected to a shuttle bus. The passenger transfers from the railway station to the shuttle bus which then completes the journey to the terminal. A shuttle bus does not require specialised infrastructure to be built, and is often the preferred choice at smaller or low-cost airports. Shuttle buses may involve a wait for a transfer to the next stage of the journey and often suffer from a lower perceived quality and market share.
Current examples[edit]
High-speed rail and inter-city rail[edit]
Examples include Schipol Airport railway station to other Dutch cities, Zurich Airport railway station to other Swiss cities, and Daxing Airport railway station to other Chinese cities.
Regional rail and commuter rail[edit]
Examples include the RER B between Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV and Paris, the Keisei Narita Airport Line and the Narita Express between Narita International Airport and Tokyo, the Union Pearson Express to Toronto Pearson International Airport, the Leonardo Express to Rome Fiumicino Airport, and the Malpensa Express to Milan Malpensa Airport.
Rapid transit[edit]
Examples include the Line 4 between Linate Airport and Milan, the East-West Line between Changi Airport and Singapore, and the Silver Line between Dulles International Airport and Washington, D.C..
Rail to people mover[edit]
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Examples include Soekarno-Hatta International Airport via Soekarno–Hatta Airport Skytrain from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport railway station, London Luton Airport via Luton DART from Luton Airport Parkway railway station and Paris Orly Airport via Orlyval from Antony railway station.
Rail to shuttle bus[edit]
Examples include Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport via shuttle bus from Zhengding Airport railway station, Salvador Bahia Airport via shuttle bus from Aeroporto railway station and Auckland Airport via AirportLink shuttle bus from Puhinui railway station.
