The next major phase of the new AirTrain Newark system will begin this month, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said.
Work on the guideway and track structure between Newark Liberty International Airport Train Station and the P4 station will begin on Jan. 15. The construction will require ongoing weekday service outages between the two stations that link to Northeast Corridor (NEC) services for NJ TRANSIT and Amtrak. During that time, accessible shuttle buses will replace AirTrain service between the two stations, but only on weekdays from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. AirTrain Newark will continue to operate between P4, Terminal C, Terminal B, P3 and Terminal A stations during the current construction phase.
The airport said all outages would pause between Memorial Day and Labor Day, peak travel season, and resume in September. The outages will also pause during the holiday travel season – Oct. 30, 2026 and Jan. 15, 2027. Additional outages are planned in 2027 and 2028 as work progresses, officials said.
“Replacing AirTrain Newark is critical to the future of Newark Liberty International Airport,” Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole said. “This next phase of construction moves that work from planning to visible progress, while ensuring travelers continue to have reliable ways to reach terminals, parking, and transit connections during construction.”
The new $3.5 billion automated system will replace the existing AirTrain, which opened in 1996. The current system is out of date and unable to accommodate the airport’s growth, officials said. The new system will allow for expanded passenger capacity, greater reliability and flexible connectivity that is aligned with the airport’s redevelopment plan. The new service is expected to begin its first passenger service in 2030.
“This project is about building a system that can keep pace with Newark Liberty’s growth for decades to come,” Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton said. “We appreciate passengers’ patience during these temporary changes, enabling us to advance construction of a modern, high-capacity AirTrain that will deliver a smoother, more dependable experience for millions of passengers each year.”