The Effect of Seat Layout on the Interaction of Passengers Inside the Train Carriage: An Experimental Approach for Urban Services

The platform–train interface (PTI) is one of the most complex spaces in metro stations. At the PTI, the interaction of passengers boarding and alighting reaches high density, affecting the boarding and alighting time, among other variables related to safety and efficiency. Developing research was performed to study the effect of seat layout on the interaction of passengers by means of experiments in a controlled environment. The laboratory facility included a mock-up of a train carriage and its adjacent platform. The train was representative of urban services in the Valparaiso Metro (Chile). The results showed that seat layout changed the patterns of interaction of passengers inside the train carriage. If seats were parallel to the movement of the train, then wider corridors inside the train were generated, and therefore, the number of passengers using this space could increase up to three times. However, in urban services, passengers were located closer to the train doors to be prepared for alighting, and therefore, the passenger numbers at the central hall remained the same with the seat layout. In addition, most passengers always used seats even if they were in a different position due to the aforementioned reasons. Further research will include passengers with reduced mobility and remaining inside the train while others are alighting to identify the effect of the space used on the interaction of passengers inside the train.