Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) announced on August 21st that the long-awaited Automated People Mover (APM) system has received its final four train cars, bringing the total number of cars to 44.
According to reports from City News, airport officials stated that the first batch of train cars arrived in the summer of 2022, with the remaining cars being gradually delivered from a manufacturer in Pennsylvania.
John Ackerman, CEO of Los Angeles World Airports Group, to which LAX belongs, said in a statement: “The arrival of the final batch of APM train cars marks a significant milestone for this project and the transformation of our airport.”
LAX will be the first airport in the United States to adopt the INNOVIA 300 APM train cars, which are equipped with recyclable advanced aluminum shells and regenerative braking systems.
LAX’s “Lincoln Express Solutions” (LINXS), the design and construction team responsible for the $3 billion project at the airport, will soon begin testing the train cars on the elevated guideway of the APM.
The official plan is to complete the project by December 8, 2025, with operations scheduled to commence in January 2026.
On August 16th, the Los Angeles City Council increased the total cost of LAX’s long-delayed APM project from $2.9 billion to $3.34 billion to resolve legal disputes and confirm the operational date of January 2026.
This project is expected to be completed before major international sporting events hosted in Los Angeles, including the FIFA World Cup in 2026 and the Olympics and Paralympics in 2028.
The electric train system will operate along a 2.25-mile elevated track, with six stations, providing free service to ticketed passengers and airport staff.