Ground-accessing elevator systems and methods are provided for transporting personnel between the ground level and one or more decks of multi-level vehicle such as a fixed-wing aircraft. The vehicle elevator systems and methods may be implemented using a multi-track guide rail system configured to guide an elevator car between the ground and two or more levels within a vehicle. The multi-track guide rail system may include an intra-vehicle track fixed to the vehicle structure and configured to guide the elevator car between decks of the vehicle, and a separate deployment track may be configured to telescope downward from the intra-vehicle guide rail track to guide the elevator car during deployment to the ground from the vehicle.