The bi-directional, elevated, dual guideway will span approximately 26,000 linear feet or 4.81 miles and will dramatically change the skyline of DFW Airport. Elevated an average of 50 feet above ground, the guideway will run on the airside of existing terminals A, B, C, E and through future Terminals D and F. When complete, DFW’s APM will be the largest of its kind.

Building this guideway, constructed of concrete and structural steel, while airlines continue their operations has been a challenge for the APM team. Each terminal will contain two APM stations approximately 460 feet long. The stations come equipped with synchronized doors, passenger information systems, escalators, stairs, and elevators. The station interior at platform level provides easy access and wayfinding to the trains. The Automatic Train Control System ensures that trains adhere to specific operating schedules, which will make the longest trip between the farthest two stations less than nine minutes, with an average ride of five minutes. With headways of two minutes in both directions, passengers will find the APM not only expedient but remarkably convenient.

To provide excellent ride quality, DFW Airport has purchased 64 cars, suspended on rubber-tires and operated by an Automatic Train Control System from Bombardier. These cars, traveling in pairs of speeds up to 35 miles per hour, make DFW’s fleet the largest airport fleet in the United States. On day one, 24-two car trains will be fully operational and will be able to transport 5,000 passengers per hour, per direction. Ultimately, this system will be able to transport 8,500 passengers per hour, per direction.