Passengers Line Up To Take A Line Train From Union Station To DIA
DENVER (CBS4)- Hundreds of passengers lined up to be among the first to take the new RTD A Line commuter rail from Union Station to Denver International Airport.
The City of Denver celebrated the official kickoff in downtown Denver on Friday morning when the party moved to DIA.
The project has been several decades in the making.
PHOTO GALLERY: A Line Opens To The Public
Denver is the latest in just a handful of cities across the country that has its own "Train to the Plane" service. Every 15 minutes the new commuter train will take up to 170 passengers from Union Station to the airport in just 37 minutes for $9.
"This is a big moment for us, it's been a long time coming as we talked about, you go to places like Europe, the East Coast, this is normal, this is a way of living out there. So we're catching up and we are finally on that global stage," said Denver Mayor Michael Hancock.
The ceremony at DIA were briefly interrupted by protesters. The group or a dozen or more people held up small signs saying "Can't Afford To Ride," apparently in protest of the $9 cost to ride the new commuter train line.
The A Line features special areas for those with disabilities. It was developed to help those who are less able-bodied make their way around the public transportation option.
RTD estimates approximately 18,500 people will travel on the A Line every day. As the G, B and R lines open up early next year they plan to grow the number of people using the Union Station hub to more than 100,000.
MORE FROM RTD-DENVER.COM: A Line Website | A Line Facts Sheet
