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With nearly 25 million passengers carried last year, the JFK AirTrain is a vital part of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s (PANYNJ) efforts to reduce traffic congestion at the airport
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Alstom has designed and built the JFK AirTrain and has been providing operations and maintenance services for it since 2003
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The contract extension with PANYNJ is valued at approximately $518 million USD (approximately 479 million euro)1
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Over 230 Alstom employees will be retained to support the APM System.
1 April 2025 – Alstom, global leader in smart and sustainable mobility, has signed a contract extension with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) to provide operations and maintenance services for JFK International Airport’s AirTrain for the next seven years. The contract extension is valued at approximately $518 million and includes an option for three additional years.
The JFK AirTrain is a crucial part of reducing traffic congestion around the airport. The system connects all passenger terminals to airport parking lots, the hotel shuttle pick-up area, the rental car center, and NYC’s public transportation network at Jamaica and Howard Beach Stations, where passengers and airport employees can connect with the subway, the Long Island Railroad, and public buses.
Under the agreement, Alstom will be responsible for ensuring the AirTrain is running twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and for maintaining the vehicle fleet, station doors, guideways, power distribution systems, car wash, signalling system and facilities. The fleet is composed of 32 automated light metro trains, which range in size from one to four cars based on passenger demand, serving nine stations.
“We are proud of our ongoing partnership with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and JFK International Airport,” said Michael Keroullé, President of Alstom Americas. “Since 2003, our industry-leading airport system has safely and reliably transported millions of travellers and employees between terminals. As JFK's partner of choice, Alstom is excited to support the modernization and expansion of AirTrain service at one of the world's busiest airports.”
“As we extend our partnership with Alstom, we strengthen our commitment to providing world-class service for the millions of travellers who rely on JFK Airport’s AirTrain each year,” said Teresa Rizzuto, General Manager of JFK International Airport. “This long-standing collaboration goes beyond operational efficiency; the AirTrain plays a key role in reducing traffic congestion and enhancing connectivity for passengers. The Port Authority looks forward to continue working with Alstom on JFK AirTrain, a critical piece of JFK’s infrastructure, and one that also fosters sustainability, local job creation, and community development. We also encourage all of our customers to consider using JFK AirTrain to avoid construction-related traffic while we rebuild the airport.”
A highly reliable system, firmly rooted in its community
Last year, nearly 25 million passengers rode the JFK AirTrain, with an average daily ridership of more than 68,000 travellers and airport employees. To accommodate the high passenger volumes, the system operates 24/7, 365 days a year, and Alstom’s operations and maintenance teams ensure high performance, delivering an average system availability of 98.56% in 2024. Full automation of the system provides improved safety, high reliability, higher capacity with shorter headways between trains, and lower maintenance costs. The project will retain over 230 employees, including 59 customer service agents to provide assistance to passengers.