Airport rail link

When Haneda Airport was expanded onto landfill reclaimed from Tokyo Bay in the 1980s–2010s, the monorail was extended to the new terminals as well, with the original southern terminus later renamed as Tenkūbashi Station.

These services often have premium fares, lower frequencies (e.g. every 30 minutes) and luxury features (e.g. luggage racks, power outlets, Wi-Fi, bathrooms).

This solution is often used where the airport is outside the urban area and some way from the mass transit system but a direct downtown service is required.

There are various ways this can be achieved: it may operate on a combination of existing or newly built mainline rail track using a dedicated fleet of rolling stock designed for airport service.

Luggage stowing facilities are not commonly found on rapid transit or light rail vehicles as their primary objective is to provide high-capacity service.

A hybrid solution adopted in some cities is a direct link to an airport railway station connected to a people mover.

People movers typically also serve parking lots, airport hotels and off-site car rental facilities.

Shuttle buses may involve a wait for a transfer to the next stage of the journey and often suffer from lower perceived quality and market share compared to direct connections.