Phoenix airport Sky Train to the Rental Car Center opens Tuesday. Here's what we know
Renting cars at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is about to get a lot more convenient for travelers, right in time for the holidays.
Starting Tuesday, Dec. 20, the airport's PHX Sky Train will launch its extended service from Terminals 3 and 4 to the Rental Car Center for the first time.
The airport's long-awaited Stage 2 extension was completed recently following extensive safety tests and is now ready to transport passengers. Here's what we know ahead of its debut to the public.
And check back later Monday for more information: The airport is hosting a preview of the new service this morning.
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What is the PHX Sky Train Stage 2 opening date?
People can start riding the Sky Train from the airport terminals to the Rental Car Center starting around 4 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 20.
How long is the Sky Train ride to the Rental Car Center?
Trains will arrive at the Rental Car Center from Terminal 3 in about six minutes and from Terminal 4 in about eight minutes, airport spokesman Greg Roybal said.
How much longer is the PHX Sky Train route?
The Stage 2 extension added 2.5 miles of track to the existing Sky Train route.
From end to end, the mileage between the 44th Street/Washington PHX Sky Train Station and the Rental Car Center is 5 miles, or about 13 minutes.
How much did it cost?
Stage 2 of the PHX Sky Train cost $745 million, according to airport staff. The work is among $1.7 billion worth of upgrades the airport planned over a five-year period in a comprehensive asset management plan approved in 2019.
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What problems does the Sky Train extension solve?
Most critically, the Sky Train's connection to the Rental Car Center will be able to move larger numbers of passengers quicker and more efficiently than the current shuttle bus system.
Trains will arrive every three to five minutes. Shuttle buses, in contrast, arrive every seven to 13 minutes depending on traffic — though some travelers reported horror stories of waiting far longer during peak travel periods.
Replacing the buses with the Sky Train will also reduce traffic along Sky Harbor Boulevard.
The route extension also includes a new Sky Train Station at 24th Street, accessible from Buckeye Road and Copperhead Drive, which will add about 1,600 economy parking spaces and about 22 electric vehicle charging stations. Like the station at 44th and Washington streets, people can use it to pick up and drop off passengers to reduce traffic jams on the terminal roadways.
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Reach the reporter at Michael.Salerno@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @salerno_phx.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: PHX Sky Train to Rental Car Center opening: Latest updates
