Atlanta City Council Backs 22-Mile BeltLine Light Rail Transit Loop as MARTA Rolls Out New CQ400 Train Fleet and Modernizes Airport Station

A Historic Unanimous Council Endorsement for BeltLine Rail Transit

ATLANTA, Georgia — In a transformative urban mobility vote that shapes the future of transportation across Georgia's capital, the Atlanta City Council has voted unanimously to formally endorse the construction of a comprehensive 22-mile light rail transit loop along the Atlanta BeltLine corridor. The landmark resolution directs the Mayor's Office, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), and Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. to finalize a binding implementation and financing roadmap by January 2027 to deliver streetcar transit along the beloved multi-use rail trail.

The City Council's decisive vote follows the completion of the citywide BeltLine Transit Study, which outlines three continuous light rail circuits operating 18.5 hours daily with high frequencies. The system will create seamless, direct interchanges with MARTA’s existing heavy rail spine, linking historically separated neighborhoods across North and South Atlanta with dependable, zero-tailpipe-emission mass transit.

Modernizing the Heavy Rail Network with Next-Generation CQ400 Trains

Parallel to the BeltLine rail expansion, MARTA is actively advancing a generational modernization of its heavy rail infrastructure, led by the phased deployment of its brand-new CQ400 passenger train fleet manufactured by Stadler Rail. Representing a multimillion-dollar capital investment, the sleek trains feature open-gangway walk-through cabins, regenerative braking systems that capture kinetic energy, and high-resolution digital customer information displays.

The state-of-the-art trainsets are also engineered with level-boarding accessibility, expanded spaces for luggage and bicycles, onboard USB charging ports, and advanced condition-monitoring sensors to maximize network safety and schedule reliability across the Red, Gold, Blue, and Green Lines.

Terminal Overhauls at Airport Station and Launch of MARTA Rapid A-Line

To handle expanding regional passenger volumes ahead of major international cultural and sporting events, MARTA has completed comprehensive structural overhauls at the Airport Station, the southern terminal located directly within Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Upgrades include resilient terrazzo flooring, modernized escalator banks, expanded accessibility elevators, and new automated fare gates.

Simultaneously, the transit authority celebrated the successful commercial launch of the MARTA Rapid A-Line, the region’s very first dedicated Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service. Connecting downtown Atlanta to Summerhill and the Southside BeltLine Trail, the A-Line features dedicated median busways, transit signal priority, and off-board payment kiosks powered by MARTA's contactless 'Better Breeze' ticketing platform.

Catalyzing Transit-Oriented Affordable Housing Across the City

Atlanta's transit expansion is closely intertwined with ambitious affordable housing and equitable development initiatives. Ground has officially been broken on the $65.7 million 'Overlook at Garson' transit-oriented development directly adjacent to the Lindbergh Center MARTA station, delivering 130 deeply affordable family residences and community retail fronting the Northeast BeltLine Trail.

Civic and transportation leaders underscored that combining high-capacity light rail along the BeltLine with modern rolling stock and transit-adjacent affordable housing ensures Atlanta builds a truly equitable, interconnected, and climate-resilient metropolitan economy for generations to come.