Corrections & Clarifications: An earlier version of this article gave incorrect information about which PHX Sky Train light rail stops have access to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
Getting to and from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport terminals is made simple with a train that shuttles among airport landmarks.
The PHX Sky Train, which is free to ride, connects Sky Harbor’s Terminal 3 and Terminal 4 with the Valley Metro light rail, economy parking lots and the Rental Car Center.
The Sky Train originally opened in 2013 to serve Terminal 4 passengers. The route was extended to connect the Sky Train to Terminal 3 in 2014 and the Rental Car Center in 2022.
According to Sky Harbor statistics, Sky Train ridership in its first year was double the airport’s expectations with 14,000 daily passengers. Today it has an average daily ridership of about 38,000 passengers and a capacity of up to 79,000 daily passengers.
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Here’s how to ride the PHX Sky Train at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.
No. There is no charge to ride the PHX Sky Train around the airport property.
The Sky Train can reach a top speed of 38 mph, but on average it travels around 23 mph, according to Sky Harbor airport staff.
The train has no driver. It runs on an electrically powered, center-rail guideway and facilities.
Look for the Sky Train signs in the airport terminals, parking garages, Rental Car Center and at the 24th Street and 44th Street stations.
Trains arrive every three to five minutes and operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Each train uses a three-car configuration, and each car can hold 53 passengers.
In Terminal 3, the Sky Train can be reached from Level 5. Take the escalators in ticketing up to Level 4 to enter the Sky Train station, then take the escalators in the station to Level 5 to access the boarding platform.
In Terminal 4, the Sky Train is on the Level 3 concourse midway between the security checkpoints.
The Sky Train stops at six stations:
It takes about 13 minutes for the Sky Train to travel across all six stops.
The Valley Metro light rail does not run directly to Sky Harbor Airport. Light rail riders can get off the train at the 44th Street station and ride the PHX Sky Train to the terminals.
People who are dropping off or picking up passengers can avoid airport traffic jams by having their friends or loved ones ride the Sky Train to the 44th Street Station or 24th Street Station and meeting them there. Not having to drive to the terminals saves time and stress, particularly during peak travel times like spring break, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
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Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who’s covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republic’s consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at Michael.Salerno@gannett.com.
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