LAX Automated Rail System Nears Completion: What Travelers Can Expect in 2026
The all-new LAX automated rail system will reduce gridlock near the airport when it opens in 2026
Photo: Couresy of LAWA
Los Angeles International Airport‘s (LAX) long-awaited $3 billion automated rail system won’t pull into the station until 2026 but moved closer this week with the delivery of its last four train cars.
Forty-four Automatic People Mover (APM) train cars have now made the cross-country journey from their manufacturer in Pittsburgh to Los Angeles, where the project will now move on to testing.
“Our focus now shifts from the construction of the APM’s physical structures to an extensive testing process with each and every vehicle,” said Shawn West, board member at LAX Integrated Express Solutions (LINXS), the contractor behind the project.
Elevated Guideway to Connect Six Stations
Once certified as safe, the driverless train cars will shuttle passengers on an elevated guideway between six stations within LAX.
Three of those stations offer access to the airport’s nine passenger terminals. Another is located at its economy parking lot, and the fifth is at a consolidated car rental facility. The final station is embedded within a newly constructed transportation hub—the LAX/Metro Transit Center—with links to the city’s metro system and local buses.
Photo: Courtesy of Los Angeles World Airports
Previously, travelers had to board buses at the airport to connect to the metro system and use shuttles to reach car rental facilities. The airport will also relocate its ride-hail lot, where passengers pick up taxis, Ubers, and Lyfts, so it’s accessible from the rail system.
Improved Efficiency and Sustainability
With the trains running at top speeds of 47 mph, journeys take just 10 minutes from one end to another. The system will operate 24/7, and trains depart every two minutes during peak travel between 9:00 AM and 11:00 PM.
Photo: Los Angeles World Airports
The system is free to ride and open to everyone, including air passengers, their guests, and the 57,000 airport and airline staff who work at LAX.
By diverting drivers and shuttler passengers, the LAX APM is expected to reduce traffic around terminals by 27 percent at peak hours by 2035. Currently, departing travelers and those picking up arriving guests can expect to waste more than an hour in gridlocked traffic in the horseshoe loop surrounding the terminals.
The transit system will eliminate 3,200 daily shuttle trips and ease traffic at 30 nearby intersections.
Los Angeles World Airports
For millions of travelers, including those coming for the World Cup in 2026 and the Summer Olympics in 2028, it will mean a smoother introduction to Los Angeles.
Project Completion
The all-electric train system is also a greener way to navigate the airport. The INNOVIA 300 APM train cars are made from fully recyclable aluminum shells and are designed not to release toxic substances or emissions.
The cars also have a regenerative braking system, which converts the kinetic energy lost during deceleration into power for onboard features, such as lighting.
Photo: Couresy of LAWA
The system will partly run on solar power generated on-site. Photovoltaic panels installed on the roof of its maintenance and storage facility will generate 40 percent of that building’s power and 7 percent of the total electricity consumption of the APM.
“The APM will enhance the travel experience at LAX and set a new standard for sustainable transportation,” John Ackerman, CEO of airport owner and operator Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), said in a statement.
“Receiving the final train cars for the APM signifies a major milestone for this project and our airport’s transformation,” he added.
Legal Challenges
The system’s 2.25-mile elevated guideway has been nearly complete for some time, but legal disputes between the airport and the contractor, LINXS, overproduction, compensation, and the timeline have stalled the project.
Photo: Tom Bradley Terminal. Courtesy of LAX
This summer, the LAWA board of commissioners and the LA City Council approved a $400 million payment to settle those disputes, clearing the way for the rail line’s completion but also bringing the total bill to $3.3 billion.
The system is due to be completed on December 8, 2025, and open to passengers in January 2026.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated Congresswoman Maxine Waters objects to the airport’s rail system. Waters was referring to a proposed project by the City of Inglewood, not LAX’s APM.
