The number of people riding the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey’s AirTrain systems has reached a new high.
Nearly 6.7 million paid riders used the trains to and from John F. Kennedy International (JFK) and Newark Liberty International (EWR) in 2008, beating the previous year’s record by nearly 8%.
“Our two AirTrain systems are emblematic of our agency’s mission to move people around the region safely, quickly and efficiently,” says Chairman Anthony R. Coscia.
“Since the early part of this decade, the port authority’s multibillion-dollar investment in these mass-transit systems helps ease travel for air passengers, keep our air cleaner, and lighten the burden on the roads and highways surrounding our airports.”
AirTrain Newark opened in 2001, extending the existing EWR monorail to link with the Northeast Corridor railroad line used by NJ Transit and Amtrak; AirTrain JFK began running in 2003 and connects the airport to the Long Island Rail Road and the New York City subway system at terminals in Jamaica and Howard Beach, Queens.
In 2008, more than 4.75 million paid riders used AirTrain JFK; more than 1.93 million paid riders used AirTrain Newark.
