Alstom Boosts DEN Capacity by 1,700 PPH With 26 New Vehicles

Alstom has concluded the delivery of its core order of 26 Innovia APM R vehicles for the automated transport system at Denver International Airport (DEN). This delivery completes a key phase in the modernization of the airport’s internal Automated Guideway Transit System (AGTS), which connects terminals and boarding areas for over 150,000 daily users. The first trains from this order entered service in 2024, with 24 vehicles currently operational.

The fleet modernization project is structured in two phases. The initial 26-unit order is intended to replace a significant portion of the airport’s original AGTS vehicles. Denver Airport has subsequently placed an additional order for 19 vehicles. This second order will facilitate the complete replacement of the original 31 units and expand the total fleet size to 45 vehicles to accommodate rising passenger volumes.

The introduction of the new rolling stock has yielded quantifiable performance improvements. System capacity has increased by approximately 1,700 passengers per hour, and the interval between trains has been reduced. These enhancements directly address the operational demands of sustained passenger traffic growth at one of the busiest airports in the United States.

Technical specifications of the new Innovia APM R vehicles contribute to both operational efficiency and sustainability targets. The units feature lightweight aluminum bodies constructed from recyclable materials. A more efficient power supply system reduces energy consumption by over 30% relative to the previous generation of vehicles. Alstom officials state these features align with the airport’s long-term sustainability objectives.

Manufacturing and final testing of the vehicles were conducted at Alstom’s facility in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania. This site functions as the company’s global center for automated people mover systems, producing similar transit solutions for airports and urban networks worldwide.

Alstom’s operational involvement at DEN is long-standing, with the company having operated and maintained the AGTS since its inauguration in 1995. This relationship was extended in November 2024 when the airport signed a new seven-year operation and maintenance contract. The contract covers the period from 2025 to 2032 and will be executed by Alstom’s Denver-based team of 101 employees, who ensure 24/7 system availability.

Verification data from external sources dated February 2026 does not directly reference the Alstom-Denver project, presenting a temporal discrepancy with the primary source’s 2024-2025 timeline. The external data focuses on unrelated infrastructure projects at other airports, such as Tampa (TPA) and Poland’s Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK), without providing corroborating details on the DEN AGTS modernization.

The completion of the core delivery and the follow-on order for 19 additional vehicles position the Denver airport to operate a fully modernized and expanded AGTS fleet. This will support the airport’s capacity requirements for the duration of the new maintenance contract through 2032.