Los Angeles's airport is finally getting its rail connection. The Automated People Mover linking LAX to the Metro system is now scheduled for June 2026, and Congress has approved $94.3 million in mobility funding for the 2028 Games.
For decades, LAX has been the glaring gap in LA's transit network — the 8th busiest airport in the world with no rail connection. That changes in June 2026 when the Automated People Mover (APM) opens, creating a direct link between the airport terminals and the LAX/Metro Transit Center Station on the C and K Lines.
The Transit Center Station itself opened in 2025, bringing rail service to the LAX area for the first time. But without the People Mover, passengers still had to rely on shuttle buses to cover the last stretch into the terminal complex. The APM eliminates that friction — an elevated, driverless train system running on a 2.25-mile guideway connecting six stations, including stops at each terminal group and the Metro station.
For visitors arriving for the 2028 Olympics, this means a single-seat ride from downtown LA to the airport: take the A Line to the C/K Line connection, transfer at the Transit Center, and ride the People Mover directly into the terminal. No Uber surge pricing. No rental car return lots. No traffic on the 405.
In February 2026, Metro announced that Congress has approved $94.3 million in mobility-related funding specifically for the 2028 Games. The money covers service planning, station experience upgrades, mobility hub development, light rail improvements, and pedestrian access design near Games venues.
This is separate from the ongoing capital construction budget for projects like the D Line extension. The Olympics funding is focused on operations and experience — making the existing and soon-to-open network work at Games-level capacity.
What the GETS plan includes:
Metro's Games Enhanced Transit Service (GETS) plan calls for deploying 2,700 zero-emission buses, building mobility hubs at key venue locations, hiring over 10,000 new personnel for Games operations, and establishing dedicated bus lanes to keep transit moving even when road traffic peaks.
The plan is designed to make LA the first "no-car Olympics" — a transportation model that, if it works, would redefine how future host cities think about Games mobility.
D Line (Purple Line) extension opens to Westwood/UCLA, serving the Olympic Village at UCLA.
LAX Automated People Mover opens, connecting terminals to the Metro C/K Line via the Transit Center Station.
FIFA World Cup matches at SoFi Stadium serve as a dress rehearsal for Olympics transit operations.
GETS plan ramps up: mobility hubs built, zero-emission bus fleet deployed, personnel hiring begins.
2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games begin.
By summer 2028, an international visitor can land at LAX, ride the People Mover to the Metro station, take the K Line to Inglewood (for events at SoFi Stadium and the Intuit Dome), or connect to the D Line for UCLA, the Rose Bowl, and venues across the Westside. The rail network that was barely functional a decade ago will be a legitimate transit system connecting airport, venues, and downtown.
The question isn't whether the infrastructure will exist — it's whether capacity and reliability will hold up under Olympic-scale demand. The $94.3 million in federal funding and the GETS plan are designed to address exactly that. The World Cup in June 2026 will be the first real stress test.
LA Metro 2028 is an independent community guide published by CMBMV LLC. Not affiliated with LA Metro, LA28, the IOC, or the USOPC. Construction timelines are based on publicly available sources and may change. Always verify at metro.net.