Airtrain at JFK. Note aluminum strip between rails.

AirTrain JFK is a 13 km (8.1 mile) light rail system connecting ten points within John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Jamaica Station on the Long Island Railroad and the New York Subway E, J and Z lines, as well as to Howard Beach on the subway A line. It is operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which also operates AirTrain (Newark).

History

Construction began in 1998 for completion in 2002, but was delayed by the derailment of a test train in September 2002, killing operator Kelvin DeBorgh. The system finally opened after over a year's delay on December 17, 2003.

AirTrain JFK uses the same advanced light rapid transit technology from Bombardier as the rapid transit systems in Vancouver, Canada and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It draws power from a third rail and a linear induction motor pushes magnetically against an aluminum strip in the center of the track.

Routes and stations

The system consists of three overlapping routes:

• the Howard Beach route;
• the Jamaica Station route; and
• the Airline Terminal route.

The Howard Beach route starts at Howard Beach and stops at Lefferts Blvd, while the Jamaica Station route starts at Jamaica Station on the Long Island Railroad (this station stop is called Sutphin Blvd. on the subway). Both routes meet at Federal Circle, then loop counterclockwise around JFK Airport, serving 6 stations:

• Terminal 1 (the first station in the loop);
• Terminals 2/3;
• Terminal 4;
• Terminals 5/6;
• Terminal 7; and
• Terminals 8/9.

The Howard Beach and Jamaica Station routes then return to Federal Circle, then split, going back to their respective termini. The Airline Terminal route serves the 6 terminal stations, operating in a clockwise loop, in the opposite direction to the Howard Beach and Jamaica Station routes.

Using AirTrain

AirTrain is free within JFK Airport, but one must pay a fee ($5 per person as of 2004) when entering or leaving AirTrain at the Jamaica and Howard Beach stations. The fare must be paid by MetroCard, which can be purchased with cash, a credit card or an ATM card. There are vending machines at both stations where one can pay for the AirTrain and also pay subway and LIRR fares.

Generally speaking, people traveling between JFK and lower Manhattan should use the Howard Beach Station and take the A train. Travelers to east mid-town Manhattan should use Jamaica Station and the E train. Travelers to west mid-town Manhattan or making Amtrak or New Jersey Transit connections should use Jamaica Station and take the LIRR to Penn Station. Travelers to Long Island or Brooklyn can make LIRR connections at Jamaica Station. Dozens of local bus lines serving Queens and Brooklyn stop at or near Jamaica Station as well.

Eating, drinking, smoking, and radio playing are all prohibited on the Airtrain.

External links

• AirTrain JFK (http://www.panynj.gov/airtrain/)
• JFK Airtrain: Good News, Bad News, Good News and Bad News (http://groups.google.com/groups?q=g:thl1202482804d&dq=&hl=en&lr=lang_en&ie=UTF-8&selm=86035fb1.0402131303.6973b397%40posting.google.com&rnum=1)
• AirTrain Newark (http://www.portnynj.com/airtrainnewark/)