Four years after crews broke ground and $484 million later, BART’s new "train to plane" service, formally opens on Saturday - just in time, airport officials point out, for the Thanksgiving holiday rush.
The “BART to OAK” line now connects BART passengers to Oakland International Airport, where riders will be able to board one of four three-car automated people movers at either the Coliseum Station or the Oakland International Airport Station and take the eight-minute ride at 30 mph, BART officials said.
"The reliability should be much greater," BART's Project Group Manager Tom Dunscombe said Friday morning.
The 3.2-mile link will replace AirBART with a driverless automated people mover, which will arrive at the Coliseum Station every 4 1/2 minutes and can get passengers to the airport in eight minutes and 12 seconds, Dunscombe said.
BART already takes passengers to the San Francisco International Airport.
A big party to celebrate the opening is on Friday at the Coliseum Station from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. BART officials are so excited, they even created a Storify page to show off photos and videos of the new system. Click here for schedules and pricing.
In other Bay Area airport news, Mineta San Jose International Airport is offering discounted parking rates through the Thanksgiving holiday, and live musci starting on Friday through Thanksgiving Eve. The airport's volunteer ambassador and therapy dogs will be strolling through the airport so stressed out travelers can give them a pet before flying off to Grandma's.
