The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced Jan. 13 the start of the next major phase of construction on the new $3.5 billion AirTrain Newark system, with work beginning on the guideway and track structure between the Newark Liberty International Airport Train Station and the P4 station.
This phase of construction will require ongoing weekday service outages between the P4 station and the Airport Train Station that links to Northeast Corridor (NEC) services for NJ Transit and Amtrak. To maintain connectivity during the outage, the Port Authority will operate a shuttle bus system serving all airport terminals, rental car facilities, and parking locations.
The new automated system will replace the existing AirTrain, which opened in 1996 and has become obsolete, over capacity, and unable to accommodate Newark Liberty’s rapid growth. The new AirTrain system will allow for expanded passenger capacity, greater reliability and flexible connectivity in conjunction with the airport’s redevelopment plan. It is expected to begin 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,” said outgoing Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. “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.”
Beginning Jan. 15, AirTrain Newark service to and from the airport train station will be replaced by shuttle buses on weekdays from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. because of construction activity. Bus shuttles will run every four to five minutes. Passengers should allow up to 15 minutes of additional travel time during the AirTrain outages. AirTrain Newark will continue operating between the P4, Terminal C, Terminal B, P3, and Terminal A stations.
AirTrain Newark will operate normally on weekends. All outages will pause during the peak travel season between Memorial Day and Labor Day, resuming in September 2026. Outages will pause again during the holiday travel season between Oct. 30, 2026, and Jan. 15, 2027. Additional AirTrain outages are planned in 2027 and 2028 as work progresses, with details of those impacts shared at a future date.
The Port Authority is in the midst of a complete redevelopment of Newark Liberty International Airport that began with the 2023 opening of Terminal A – the centerpiece of a renaissance designed to establish the airport as a world-class gateway for the New Jersey and New York region.
