Toronto Pearson International Airport - Automated People Mover

The Toronto Pearson International Airport Automated People Mover project, now known as the LINK Train, is a fully automated elevated transit system designed to enhance connectivity across Canada’s busiest airport. Delivered for the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, the 1.6-kilometre dual elevated guideway system links Terminal 1, Terminal 3, and the Viscount parking area, providing high-frequency, high-capacity service for up to 4,000 passengers per hour in each direction. The system operates on a two-track alignment and was designed to accommodate future expansion, including integration with the UP Express rail service.

EllisDon delivered a comprehensive solution that included construction and commissioning of the elevated guideway and stations, along with complete integration of signaling, communications, and control systems. This included SCADA, automatic train control, centralized operations, communications rooms, fire and life safety systems, and platform edge door controls, all connected to the airport’s master control systems through a rigorous testing and commissioning program.

Constructed within a highly constrained and active airport environment, the project required extensive coordination to maintain uninterrupted airport operations. Complex staging and scheduling strategies were implemented, including night work and traffic diversions, to enable erection of guideway structures over busy airport roadways. Construction of the stations and elevated structures involved deep caisson foundations in tight spaces between terminals, hotel facilities, and existing infrastructure, supported by detailed constructability reviews and careful material staging.

Additional challenges included integrating the Viscount Station, which houses the system’s drive equipment and control room, and coordinating modifications to surrounding infrastructure such as roadways, pedestrian bridges, and access routes.