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Flying out of Newark is often cheaper than flying out of JFK or LaGuardia Airports, but to get there is certainly a pain. But in about five years, it’ll be even more worth the trek from NYC.
In November, The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey released renderings of huge updates coming to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) that include a new 2.5-mile elevated rail system to replace the existing AirTrain and add three new stations serving Terminals A, B, and C. The construction will also replace the current Terminal B and update Terminal C.
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Additionally, PANYNJ is working to improve airport operations, efficiency, safety, aircraft parking capacity as well as passenger waiting areas and its roadways. Already, the recently reopened Terminal A offers a smoother experience with 33 gates, four lounges and four lanes for curbside drop-off and pick-up, designed to serve 13 million passengers a year.
If you didn’t know, Newark’s existing AirTrain first opened in 1996 and according to the Port Authority, it’s outdated and can’t accommodate today’s air travel demand. Before the pandemic, it carried an average of 33,000 passengers per day or approximately 12 million passengers per year. Year to date, AirTrain Newark served nearly 5.5 million passengers in 2024, with the vast majority using the system on-airport to transfer among airport facilities, according to PANYNJ.
When it reopens in 2030, the new AirTrain Newark will be a completely “modern, reliable automated people mover train system,” Port Authority says.
“Our major airports are the front doors of this region for the rest of the world and ensuring easy, reliable public transit to and from the airport is critical,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton, in a statement. “As we embark on the Newark vision plan, a new AirTrain is essential to both meeting increasing volumes at our airports and delivering a world-class passenger experience for Newark Liberty passengers.”
Construction on the new AirTrain is planned to start in 2025 with passenger service expected in 2030.
In terms of the new terminals, a world-class international terminal is planned to replace the current Terminal B and updates are set for Terminal C with a more efficient and resilient taxiway network with more space to fill the industry trend toward larger aircraft. More redundancies will be added to minimize delays during irregular operations and more deicing facilities will be added to make sure flights can get out more often when weather is bad. Of course, they’ll have the industry’s latest safety standards.
For passengers, there will be larger sidewalks and waiting, loading and unloading spaces that will be closer (to reduce walking distances) and AirTrain access will be simplified. Access for cyclists, pedestrians and service vehicles will also be improved and the roads will be “streamlined” so that traffic flows easier.
“As we work on a modern new airport in Newark that will include new or expanded airport facilities, a reliable on-airport mass transit system will ensure that passengers and airport workers can get to where they need to go on a new state-of-the-art AirTrain system,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole in a statement.
The Port Authority will begin its two- to three-year planning process in 2025. The project’s budget is now at $3.5 billion.
You can follow along at EWRredevelopment.com.