Basics - page five of five

How much does Monorail cost?

This is the number one question we receive at The Monorail Society. Unfortunately there is no simple answer. There are many variables which influence the price of building a monorail system (and most forms or rail transit). Factors include...   Total length of the system: In many cases, costs can be reduced the longer a system is.  Topography: Is the terrain flat or hilly, are there many roads or rivers to cross? Location: What is the access for construction equipment? Will there be heavy traffic or other impediments to construction? Utilities: Relocation of water mains, power lines, telephone lines, etc. can have a significant effect on cost increases. Land: What amount of land needs to be purchased or easements need to be acquired? Passenger requirements: What size and number of vehicles are required? How much time will they wait at stations? Speed: What are the speed requirements of the system? Are there long enough distances between stations so that a higher speed is desired? Number of Stations: Each additional station adds to the cost. Special Structures: Will tunnels, bridges, overpass reconstruction or urban structures be a factor? Geotechnical conditions: What are the subsurface conditions? They can have a major impact on foundation costs. Environmental Mitigation: Will restoration, wildlife protection or sound walls be required? No matter what the cost of building one is, monorail has the best chance of all transit modes of turning a profit. This said, we are publishing the following approximate cost figures of various monorail/monobeam systems (manufacturers listed alphabetically). The list is by no means complete. If you have additional information or corrections, please contact us at monorailsociety@comcast.net. If you are looking for more accurate cost figures for a specific alignment, the most accurate information should be obtained directly from the manufacturer or a monorail-knowledgeable consultant (one that won't just try to sell you light or heavy rail). See our Manufacturer Page for contact information.

		System type		Cost		Information Source		System Status
		Aerorail		$25-30 million/mile		Aerorail Website		Proposed
		Bombardier MVI		$88 million/mile (seven stations in four miles)		Las Vegas Monorail		Operating - Las Vegas Operating -WDW
		Futrex System 21 (monobeam)		$20-25 million/mile		Futrex Website		Proposed
		Hitachi		$15 million/km		Tokyo-Haneda Monorail		Operating
		Hitachi		$62 million/km		Kitakyushu Monorail		Operating
		Hitachi		$27 million/km $44 million/mile		Okinawa Monorail		Operating
		Intamin		$4.08 million/km $6.52 million/mile		Carr West, England		Operating in several locations
		Colorado		$10-25 million/mile		Website		Proposed
x		Monorail Malaysia		$36 million/km		Kuala Lumpur Monorail		Operating
		OTG HighRoad (monobeam)		$23 million/mile		OTG Website		Proposed
		Titan Global		$25 million/mile		Titan Website		Proposed
		VSL- (refurbished Mark IV trains)		$25 million/mile		MGM-Bally's Monorail		Replaced with Bombardier system

Disclaimer: The above figures were calculated by extrapolating information in the public domain. We encourage manufacturers and consultants to provide us with corrected cost estimates if any of our numbers appear to be incorrect. As stated above, the number one question posed to us is "How much does monorail cost?" This information is vital for those proposing or planning a transit system. Contact us at monorailsociety@comcast.net with information or requests for corrections. Thank you!