The Phoenix Sky Train won’t start carrying passengers to and from the airport’s Rental Car Center until mid-2022, but KJZZ got an early look.

Rather than wait for a bus to take them to the rental car center, people will be able to catch the train.

“We have times where we have within one hour, 90 flights arriving all at the same time, everybody wanting to use those services,” said Aviation Director Chad Makovsky. “This system is designed to keep up with that demand well into the future. And we even have the option to add a fourth car if we ever need to in the future, which is wonderful.”

He said the train will have three cars running about every three minutes, able to move 3,000 passengers per hour.

“We’re expecting up to 70 to 79,000 passengers per day using that whole system from 44th Street to the Rental Car Center,” Makovsky said.

The rental car station’s $745 million price tag is paid for through fees on passengers and rental car customers. According to Sky Harbor officials, 76% of on-site generated construction waste has been diverted from landfills and 23% of building materials manufacturer were from recycled materials.

Christina Estes/KJZZ

The Sky Curtain public art project at Rental Car Center Phoenix Sky Train Station.

The Rental Car Center Phoenix Sky Train Station also features a sky curtain — that’s the name of the public art project created by R & R Studios that serves as a barrier for the elevated platform’s outdoor space. As passengers walk along the platform, different colors are revealed.

Inside the station, local artist Bill Dambrova created a design called “From the Earth to the Sky”.  

Airport museum director Gary Martelli said the colorful terrazzo floor includes shells and fossils, “And also he included bits of mirror in the terrazzo to kind of represent sparkling stars at night.”

Seven Arizona artists designed the terrazzo floors at eight train stations. They include:

44th Street Sky Train Station

• Transfer bridge terrazzo floor by Daniel Martin Diaz.
• Platform terrazzo floor by Fausto Fernandez.

Economy Parking Sky Train Station

• Platform terrazzo floor by Anne Coe.

Terminal 4 Sky Train Station

• Platform terrazzo floor by Daniel Mayer.
• Transfer bridges, two stained glass murals by Daniel Mayer.

Terminal 3 Sky Train Station

• Platform terrazzo floor by Janelle L Stanley.
• Transfer bridge floor by Janelle L Stanley.

Rental Car Center Sky Train Station (opening summer 2022)

• Platform terrazzo floor by Bill Dambrova

24th St. Sky Train Station (opening summer 2022)

• Platform terrazzo floor by Frank Gonzales.