ATL Introduces New Plane Train Vehicles and Upgrades to Boost Capacity Ahead of Summer Soccer Events
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and Alstom have launched the first of a new fleet of automated people mover vehicles and completed key infrastructure upgrades aimed at increasing capacity and reducing wait times ahead of a busy summer travel season.
Four new Innovia APM R vehicles entered passenger service June 5 as part of a program to replace and expand the airport’s Plane Train fleet. Alstom will deliver a total of 63 new vehicles, bringing the overall fleet size to 73 cars.
The improvements are intended to support both long-term growth and increased passenger volumes associated with international soccer events being hosted in Atlanta this summer.
“We committed to increasing the capacity of the Plane Train before Atlanta began hosting soccer matches this month, and we are proud to deliver on that commitment,” said Michael Keroullé, president and chief executive officer of Alstom Americas. “This project will help passengers and employees move around the airport more quickly and comfortably for years to come.”
Alstom built the Plane Train system 45 years ago and has operated and maintained it ever since. The driverless system connects seven concourses and two terminals along a 2.8-mile underground route and transported a record 95 million passengers in 2025.
The third-generation Innovia APM R vehicles feature improved lighting, updated passenger information screens, advanced door safety systems and increased energy efficiency. The cars are manufactured in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania.
In addition to the new vehicles, Alstom completed infrastructure enhancements designed to improve throughput and reliability. A new guideway turnback allows trains to reverse direction without delaying following trains, enabling service every 90 seconds during peak periods, compared with 107 seconds previously.
Once the full fleet is delivered, the airport expects to operate as many as 15 trains simultaneously, up from the current 10 or 11. Alstom also refurbished 13 guideway switches to improve system reliability.
The Plane Train is one of 13 Alstom airport people mover systems operating at some of the world’s busiest airports. Earlier this year, the company secured a contract extension to continue operating and maintaining the system for at least another five years.