A Line (Valley Metro Rail)


The A Line is a light rail line which serves Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa, Arizona. It is the east-west line of the Valley Metro Rail system, running from Downtown Phoenix to the east. With the inauguration of the two-line system in 2025, the A Line was split from its former routing north of downtown and was rerouted to terminate at the Downtown Phoenix Hub.
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Service description

Route description

The A Line starts at the Downtown Phoenix Hub. Eastbound service runs on First Avenue south before turning east on Jefferson Street; likewise, westbound one-way service starts at 26th Street on Washington Street before turning north on Central Avenue.Both tracks rejoin east of 24th Street on Washington Street. Continuing east on Washington, the rail line passes Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, which is connected by the PHX Sky Train at 44th Street/Washington, and then turns southeast towards Tempe. After Center Parkway/Washington station, the line leaves the median of Washington Street and runs south on a bridge that crosses Tempe Town Lake, parallel to the Union Pacific Railroad. It then turns east along Mill Avenue and connects to the Valley Metro Streetcar at Mill Avenue/3rd St before proceeding via its own right-of-way near Arizona State University. Going southward, it joins Apache Boulevard headed eastward, which becomes Main Street in Mesa. The light rail line ends at an intersection with Gilbert Road at Gilbert Road/Main Street station.

Station listing

The following table lists the stations of the A Line, from west to east.
StationDate openedCity Major connections and notes
Downtown Phoenix HubDecember 27, 2008Phoenix
3rd Street/Jefferson 'December 27, 2008Phoenix
3rd Street/Washington 'December 27, 2008Phoenix
12th Street/Jefferson 'December 27, 2008Phoenix
12th Street/Washington 'December 27, 2008Phoenix
24th Street/Jefferson 'December 27, 2008Phoenix
24th Street/Washington 'December 27, 2008Phoenix
December 27, 2008Phoenix Park and rideː 190
December 27, 2008Phoenix PHX Sky Train
Apr 25, 2019Phoenix
December 27, 2008Tempe -
December 27, 2008Tempe
Mill Avenue/3rd StreetDecember 27, 2008Tempe
December 27, 2008Tempe
December 27, 2008Tempe
December 27, 2008Tempe
Park and rideː 190
December 27, 2008Tempe Park and rideː 300
December 27, 2008Tempe
December 27, 2008Tempe Park and rideː 693
December 27, 2008Mesa Park and rideː 802
August 22, 2015Mesa
August 22, 2015Mesa
August 22, 2015Mesa
August 22, 2015Mesa Park and rideː 448
May 18, 2019Mesa
May 18, 2019Mesa Park and rideː 250

History

The line between Downtown Phoenix and Sycamore/Main Street station is a segment of the inaugural Valley Metro Rail system, which opened in 2008. Subsequent extensions in 2015 and 2019 brought the eastern terminus to Gilbert Road/Main Street station. As the South Central Extension was constructed, the intersection of the north-south and east-west rail segments was designed to act as a transfer point. The A Line split into its own service on June 7, 2025.

Future developments

Capitol Extension

The Capitol Extension will run from Central Station and the Downtown Phoenix Hub in Downtown Phoenix west to 15th Avenue, adding and two stations. environmental assessment work is underway.

I-10 West Extension

The I-10 West Extension will run from 15th Avenue west to Interstate 17 before turning north to the interchange of Interstate 10 and I-17. Then the line will turn west and continue down I-10 in the median past 43rd Avenue. It will then go over the westbound lanes of I-10 to continue alongside the highway to Desert Sky Mall, adding and 8 stations to connect the West Valley and ease congestion on Interstate 10. The line will transfer over I-10 from the median to the shoulder at 47th Avenue, which will connect with I-10 around 51st Avenue with an elevated station. In fall 2021, the Phoenix City Council approved extending the project corridor to the Desert Sky Transit Center, adjacent to the Desert Sky Mall.