The new LAX/Metro Transit Center opened at Los Angeles International Airport in June of 2025, providing a long-overdue rail connection to the airport. And while the new hub was welcomed with great fanfare, travelers are still waiting to enjoy its full potential with the addition of the Automated People Mover (APM).
The APM is a 24/7, fully automated train system that will connect the LAX/Metro Transit Center directly to airport terminals via an elevated guideway, effectively bypassing airport traffic. The project’s opening was originally projected for 2023, but it has been delayed multiple times.
In the meantime, travelers must take shuttle buses to the airport terminals, which run on 10-minute intervals.
The “second half of 2026”
Despite earlier reports projecting a January 2026 opening date, which was subsequently pushed to June, the L.A. Business Journal reported in November that the APM will open in the second half of 2026, meaning it could be delayed to after the FIFA World Cup.
According to LAist, the APM’s opening has been delayed due to an ongoing dispute over system maintenance between Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) and LINXS, which is the group of companies contracted to build and operate the train.
While construction on the elevated guideway and stations is mostly complete, the project is now stalled in the testing and commissioning phase. A series of tensions and dispute settlements between the two groups, as well as cost and schedule problems, and political pressure to open before major events like the FIFA World Cup, have pushed the project roughly $880 million over budget.
Travelers have taken to social media to voice their growing dissatisfaction with the delayed opening. “When the hell is the people mover going to open?” wrote one Redditor this week, opening a thread for people to air their grievances. “Just in time for the 2068 Olympics,” wrote another.
More about the Automated People Mover
When it eventually does open, the Automated People Mover promises a fully electric train system with cars made from 98% recyclable materials, operating with partial solar power on an elevated rail.
The trains will run on two-minute intervals between six stations: three in the terminal area, one at LAX Economy Parking, one at the LAX Consolidated Rent-A-Car Facility, and of course, the LAX/Metro Transit Center station.
The Development Group predicts an annual ridership of 30 million passengers, resulting in 117,000 fewer vehicle miles traveled per day.
🌐 Learn more: You can find out more about the Automated People Mover at the Los Angeles World Airports website.