Railway platform height
The height of a railway platform varies between railway systems. The height can be expressed as two measurements Train Platform Height and Train Floor Height, both from the top of the rail. There are a very wide number of standards for platform heights and train floor heights, far more than rail gauges. This infrequently described measure impacts both the loading gauge, which is the maximum size of train, and the structure gauge, the minimum size of tunnels and height of bridges.
Most mass transit, light rail, and a growing number of Bus Rapid Transit systems attempt to use the same height for platform and rolling stock floor, so that level entry is possible. This helps travelers with rolling luggage, baby strollers, and wheel chairs. Many train systems use a lower platform and steps on the train up to the train's main floor height.
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Height categories
Buses, trams, trolleys and railway passenger cars are divided into several typical categories.
- Ultra low floor tram - 180 mm (7.1 inches)
- Low floor tram - 300 mm to 350 mm (11.8 to 13.8 inches)
- High floor tram - more than 600 mm (23.6 inches)
- Low floor train - 550 mm
- Train (in UK or narrow gauge) - 800 mm to 1200 mm (31.5 to 47.2 inches)
- Standard North American passenger cars - 1295 mm (51 inches)
- Train (standard gauge (except UK) or broad gauge) - 1295 mm to 1372 mm (51 inches to 54 inches)
By country
Australia
Trains
The majority of railway systems in Australia use high level platforms with a platform height a small distance below the train floor level. Exception to this include Queensland who have narrow gauge trains and lower platforms, and South Australia who have trains fitted with low level steps to enable the use of low level platforms.
Metro and Light Rail
The tramway network in Melbourne have some low level platforms and low floor vehicles, but most trams have steps and are boarded from the road. The Adelaide Tram line has low platforms at almost all stops and operates almost entirely with low-floor trams which also have retractable ramps for street boarding where required by persons unable to step up.
Canada
Trains
In Canada only Montreal's Central Station and Quebec's Gare du Palais has high level platforms at 48 inches (1220 mm) above top of rail. Almost everywhere else, the platforms are 8 inches (200 mm) above the rail.
Metro and Light Rail
The Montreal Metro, the Toronto subway and Scarborough Rapid Transit, Vancouver Skytrain, and other systems have high level platforms.
On the Toronto streetcar system, most stops are without raised platforms, but there are a number of low-level platforms on St. Clair and Spadina Avenues, on Queens Quay, on the Queensway (where streetcars run in a central reservation), and at a few isolated points elsewhere in the system. Passengers must still use stairs inside the trams to board and alight at all stops.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong platforms on the MTR are 1100mm above rail.
European Union
The European Union Commission issued a TSI (Technical Specifications for Interoperability) on May 30, 2002, that provides four standard platform heights for passenger steps on high-speed rail, presumably measured from the top of the rail. These standards are 550 mm and 760 mm for most Member States, with 915 mm for the UK, and 840 mm for the Netherlands.
Full citation: Commission Decision 2002/735/EC of 30 May 2002 concerning the technical specification for interoperability relating to the rolling stock subsystem of the trans-European high-speed rail system referred to in Article 6(1) of Directive 96/48/EC, Section 4.2.5 Passenger step "The passenger step for access to vehicles shall be optimised for the two platform heights of 550 mm and 760 mm that exist on the network, unless the trainset can only operate over a part of the network with a single platform height."
Section 7.3.4. Passenger step (Section 4.2.5):
- "Specific case for British lines: The passenger step for those trainsets intended to serve the British network shall be optimised for the 915 mm platform height on that system in accordance with Section 4.2.5.
- Specific case for the lines of the Netherlands network: The passenger step for those trainsets intended to serve the Netherlands network shall be optimised for the 840 mm platform height on that system in accordance with Section 4.2.5."
In the annex of European Commission Decision 2008/164/EC a number of permanent exceptions are listed which mostly apply for regional (not international) or city commuter transport. Denmark (city rail) and France (regional in Ile de France) using 920mm. Germany (city rail) using 960mm. Poland (city rail) using 760mm or 1060mm. Great Britain, Northern Ireland and Ireland using 915mm. Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland using 200mm or 1100mm (1100mm platforms will change to 550mm) (+20mm, -50mm). Portugal (city rail) using 900mm or 1100mm. Portugal and Spain (regional) using 680mm. Sweden (commuter) using 730mm or 1150mm. Sweden (regional) using 380mm or 580mm. Netherlands (regional) using 840mm (will change to 760mm).
Great Britain
Heathrow Express: According to "Railway Infrastructure", by Institution of Civil Engineers, (2001), Heathrow Airport Ltd specified their platform height at 1100mm above rail level for the Heathrow Express rail service to and from Paddington Station.
Crossrail: According to a Manager at CLRL, Crossrail have elected to use the same platform height as Heathrow Express, viz 1100mm. Their survey of current rollingstock shows floor heights in the range 1100 - 1150mm. (Source: Private correspondence by email.)
London Underground (the Tube): According to a Google Groups thread, the Underground uses two floor height standards, one for the larger sub-surface trains, 3 ft 3" (39 inches 990mm), and another for the smaller deep-level trains, 2 ft (24 inches 610mm). Platform heights at both sub-surface and deep-level stations are a few centimetres below this, requiring all passengers to step up to the train floor. Where the two different standard trains overlap and use the same platform, an in-between "compromise standard" also exists inferred to be 2 ft 7.5" (31.5 inches 800mm) requiring all passengers to step up or down one step to the train. This is because level entry for some and an unacceptably big 15 inch step for others was unsatisfactory. This is also the situation at stations originally constructed for surface-running trains and now served by suburban extensions to deep-level tubes. Examples of this are on the Northern, Central, and Piccadilly lines, among others. Only the Docklands Light Railway has platforms which are level with the train floor.
The dimensions stated do not correspond to data on Tubeprune and elsewhere. The dimensions would probably be for platforms, not the rollingstock itself. Work is under way in London to raise platforms at each end of some stations to improve accessibility for the disabled. For rollingstock dimensions, see http://www.trainweb.org/tubeprune/Dimensions.htm
EU Interoperable High-Speed Rolling Stock: UK heavy rail platform height is 915mm (except High Speed 1) as specified in Commission Decision 2002/735/EC, 7.3.4. Passenger step. This is higher than the EU standards of 550 mm and 760 mm specified in Section 4.2.5 of the same document. The Netherlands also has its own standard (840 mm). See the European Union section above for the full language.
Croydon Tramlink Trams are low-floor without steps, boarded from platforms of the same height accessed by ramps.
Manchester Metrolink Trams are high-floor and call at many stations formerly served by suburban trains. At city-centre stops, there is a high-level platform accessed by a ramp, but not all of these extend the full length of the tram.
Ireland
While older platforms were at lower levels, many platforms are now 915mm above rail and all new platforms are being built at that level. Amongst other work, there is an ongoing program of platform renewal. Both Irish railway companies (Irish Rail in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland Railways in Northern Ireland) have had some derogations from EU standards as their mainline rail systems, while connected to each other, are not connected to any other system.
The electric DART fleet has carriage floors at approximately this level, while the diesel fleet is typically one step (150-200mm) higher than the platform.
On Dublin's Luas tram system, platforms are approximately 280mm above rail. Tram floors are at the same height, but have internal steps over the bogies.
Netherlands
European Commission decision 2002/735/EC specifies the Dutch platform height as 840 mm above the track — higher than the EU standards of 550 mm and 760 mm. However, new Dutch rolling stock on regional lines has been ordered with level entry at 760 mm above the track, and Dutch infrastructure maintainer ProRail has committed1 to gradually upgrading all stations to 760 mm platform height.2
Poland
Typical Polish platform is 550 mm high, as in France, Denmark, Austria, Switzerland and Czech Republic. In some suburban areas (e.g. around Warsaw) platforms used by local traffic are higher (760–1060 mm)
Iran
Iranian platforms are 381mm, 550mm and 760mm.
North Korea
North Korea platforms are 1250mm.
Russia
There are two standard heights of platforms in Russia, they are 200 mm and 1100 mm above rail heads. 1100 mm high platforms are gradually changing to 550 mm platform height. 200mm platforms are used primarily on lines with either small passenger flow or using double-decker trains.
United States
Federal rules and regulations as well as local traditions vary. Tolerances are specified in Federal regulations related to the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), while NOT specifying height above the rail, in the 49 CFR Part 37, Appendix A, §10.3.1(9) and DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION DISABILITY LAW GUIDANCE - FULL-LENGTH, LEVEL-BOARDING PLATFORMS IN NEW COMMUTER AND INTERCITY RAIL STATIONS (2005). Train platform heights are being specified in recent changes to Sec 37.41 (2006), as described below.
Trains
There are substantial differences in platform height between eastern and southern/western rail systems, intercity and commuter rail. Eastern US train stations serving the North East Corridor from Washington DC to New York, have platform height standard of 48 inches (1220mm) above top of rail. Most intercity trains stations particularly in the southern/western United States platforms use 8-inch-high (200 mm) platforms, while southern/western US commuter rail systems use 25 inches (635mm) above top of rail platform heights. Recent proposed ADA regulatory changes to support platform level entry are forcing a change in southern/western platform heights above top of rail from 8 or 25 inches (200 or 635 mm) to 15 inches (380mm) were cancelled.
Example of Changes
RailPac suggests in a report that changes to the 8" and 25" platform height standard are happening. "Another problem is the proposal for the height of platforms for new stations. The Federal Department of Justice (DOJ) wants to have platforms 15 inches above the top of the rails. At this time, most are 8 inches high (except on the northeast corridor). The DOJ is still in the process of creating the proposal, but the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is treating it like an existing rule.
Some of the effects of this include the problem of a single height platform when multiple types of railcars (with different platform heights) use a station. Right now, Amtrak cannot use the new platforms at certain stations because the platforms do not match with the height of the railcars. If Amtrak uses those platforms, it is in danger of losing operating funds. The 15 inch height will cause problems with freight cars passing them. If this rule is in effect when the Coast Daylight is ready to run, it will greatly complicate the service.
At this time, there is a new platform at the Hanford station which was built with state money but the FRA will not allow trains to use that platform.
The CRCC decided to ask federal legislators to work on changing the rule of platform height, in order to allow more flexibility."
The changes described above are explained in Federal Register: February 27, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 38) page 9764, Commuter and Intercity Rail Station Platform Accessibility, "Amtrak cars serving the area in which the commuter system will be operated. This means that cars in the eastern part of the US would have floor heights of 48 inches above top of rail, while those in the southern/western part of the US would have floor heights of 15 inches above top of rail. The purpose of this proposal is to prevent situations—some of which the Department has encountered—in which Amtrak and commuter rail cars with different floor heights use the same station platforms, complicating the provision of level entry boarding."
Metro and Light Rail
Transit Journal by American Public Transit Association, (1981), suggests that light rail platform heights have been standardized to "slightly over 3 feet." (914.4 mm) and is very similar to the UK 915 mm platform height standard. The New York Subway's R36 (1962 World Fair Specification) used on the 7 train from 1962 to 2003 has a floor height of 3 feet, 9 inches (45 inches 1143 mm) Above Top of Rail (ATR). It is inferred from newer cars that New York Subway (Division A) IRT trains and platforms are all 3 feet 9.5 inches (45.5 inches 1156 mm), while (Division B) BMT floor and platform height is very close to 44 7/8 inches (1140 mm). Boston MBTA Blue Line level entry floor heights is 41.5 inches (1054 mm) ATR. Boston's MBTA Green line tram (with steps) floor heights for the Boeing-Vertol were 34 inches (864 mm) ATR and Breda Type 8 low floor is 14 inches ATR and 35 inches ATR over the wheels. Philadelphia's SEPTA trains are 42.5 inches (1080 mm) ATR. In Washington, DC, WMATA Metrorail is 38.5 inches (978 mm) ATR. San Francisco BART floor height is estimated to be about 42 inches (about 1067mm). San Francisco Muni Metro tram (with steps) floor heights for the Boeing-Vertol is 34 inches (864 mm) ATR, and it is assumed the newer Breda cars are the same.
Platform and Rolling stock floor height
| country | scale | subject | description | height inches | height mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | light | train floor | Vienna Ultra-low-floor tram platform and train floor height or step height | 7.48 | 190 |
| Austria | heavy | platform | typical heavy rail platform | 21.65 | 550 |
| Denmark | heavy | platform | typical heavy rail platform | 21.65 | 550 |
| France | mass transit | train floor | Paris Metro RATP line 2 new MF2000 car floor height | 39.96 | 1015 |
| UK | mass transit | train floor | London Underground surface trains 3 ft 3" | 39 | 990 |
| UK | mass transit | platform | London Tube (rare) Surface and Deep Tube "compromise standard" ~2 ft 7.5" | 31.5 | 800 |
| UK | mass transit | train floor | London Underground deep trains 2 ft | 24 | 610 |
| UK | mass transit | platform | Heathrow Express platform height | 43.3 | 1100 |
| UK | heavy | train floor | most British Rail train floor | 45.28 | 1150 |
| UK | heavy | platform | British Rail platform height standard | 36 | 915 |
| UK | heavy | platform | British Rail third rail system platform height standard | 43.3 | 1100 |
| UK | heavy | platform | British Rail platform height standard (High Speed 1 only) | 29.92 | 760 |
| Netherlands | heavy | platform | traditional heavy rail platform | 33.07 | 840 |
| Netherlands | heavy | platform | proposed heavy rail platform | 29.92 | 760 |
| Spain | heavy | platform | proposed heavy rail platform (after rail gauge conversion) | 49.25 | 1250 |
| Spain | heavy | platform | current heavy rail platform | 26.77 | 680 |
| Italy | light | train floor | Torino tram floor height (with steps) | 12.60 | 320 |
| Poland | heavy | platform | typical heavy rail platform | 21.65 | 550 |
| Poland | commuter | platform | local rail average minimum | 29.92 | 760 |
| Poland | commuter | platform | local rail average maximum | 41.73 | 1060 |
| Czech | mass transit | train floor | Prague Metro | 45.276 | 1150 |
| EU | heavy | train floor | most EU heavy rail floor height (except UK) | 51.2 | 1300 |
| EU | heavy | platform | EU high platform heavy rail standard (not Baltic States, Finland, UK or NL) | 29.92 | 760 |
| EU | heavy | platform | EU low platform heavy rail standard (not Baltic States, Finland, UK or NL) | 21.65 | 550 |
| Iran | heavy | platform | Iran high platform heavy rail standard | 29.92 | 760 |
| Iran | heavy | platform | Iran mid-high platform heavy rail standard | 21.65 | 550 |
| Iran | heavy | platform | Iran low platform heavy rail standard | 15 | 381 |
| Russia, Baltic States, Finland | heavy | platform | traditional high platform heavy rail standard | 43.3 | 1100 |
| Russia, Baltic States, Finland | heavy | platform | proposed high platform heavy rail standard | 21.65 | 550 |
| Russia, Baltic States, Finland | heavy | platform | low platform heavy rail standard | 8 | 200 |
| Central Asia | heavy | platform | heavy rail platform (1520mm gauge and 1676mm gauge lines with 25kV AC electrified) | 8 | 200 |
| India | commuter | platform | commuter platform height (proposed) | 43.3 | 1100 |
| India, Pakistan, Afghanistan | heavy | platform | Heavy Rail Mumbai area platform height (proposed) | 21.65 | 550 |
| India, Pakistan, Afghanistan | heavy | platform | Heavy Rail platform height other than Mumbai (steps) (proposed) | 8 | 203 |
| Canada | heavy | platform | Heavy Rail Montreal Central platform height | 48 | 1219 |
| Canada | heavy | platform | Heavy Rail Montreal Central platform height (proposed) | 21.65 | 550 |
| Canada | heavy | platform | Heavy Rail platform height other than Montreal (steps) | 8 | 203 |
| Canada | heavy | train floor | most Canadian Heavy Rail floor heights | 51 | 1295 |
| US | heavy | platform | Heavy Rail US NorthEast Corridor platform height | 48 | 1219 |
| US | heavy | train floor | most US Heavy Rail floor heights | 51 | 1295 |
| US | commuter | platform | US Southern and Western heavy commuter rail platform (steps) to 48 to 51" | 25 | 635 |
| US | heavy | train floor | Bombardier Amtrak Superliner for southern and western US are 17.5 to 18 inches | 18 | 457 |
| US | heavy | platform | proposed heavy rail southern and western US platform (lip or steps) | 15 | 381 |
| US | heavy | platform | traditional heavy rail southern and western US platform (steps) | 8 | 203 |
| US | heavy | platform | proposed heavy rail US high platform | 21.65 | 550 |
| US | heavy | platform | proposed heavy rail US mid-high platform (lip or steps) | 15 | 381 |
| US | heavy | platform | proposed heavy rail US low platform (steps) | 8 | 203 |
| US | mass transit | both | New York Subway (Division A) IRT trains and platforms | 45.5 | 1156 |
| US | mass transit | both | New York Subway (Division B) BMT floor and platforms | 44.775 | 1140 |
| US | mass transit | both | Boston MBTA Blue Line level entry | 41.5 | 1054 |
| US | mass transit | train floor | Philadelphia's SEPTA trains | 42.5 | 1080 |
| US | mass transit | train floor | San Francisco BART (unofficial estimate) | 42 | 1067 |
| US | mass transit | train floor | Washington, DC, WMATA Metrorail | 38.5 | 978 |
| US | mass transit | train floor | Light Rail "slightly over 3 feet." | 36 | 915 |
| US | light | train floor | Boston's MBTA Green line tram (with steps) floor heights Boeing-Vertol | 34 | 864 |
| US | light | train floor | San Francisco Muni Metro tram (with steps) floor heights Boeing-Vertol | 34 | 864 |
| US | light | train floor | US Light Rail Metro level entry (with optional steps) floor heights appear to be about. More data is required from Baltimore MD, Boston, Buffalo, Camden NJ, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland, Sacramento CA, St. Louis, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose. | 34 | 864 |
| US | light | train floor | Boston's MBTA Green line tram Breda Type 8 low floor 14 inches and (with steps) 35 inches ATR | 14 | 357 |
| US | light | platform | Boston's MBTA Green line tram minimum platform height | 0 | 0 |
| Mexico | heavy | platform | typical heavy rail platform | 29.92 | 760 |
| Argentina | heavy | platform | typical heavy rail platform | 8 | 203 |
| China | heavy | train floor | typical CRH train floor | 51.2 | 1300 |
| North Korea | heavy | platform | heavy rail platform (3kV DC electrified) | 49.25 | 1250 |
| Malaysia | mass transit | platform | RapidKL and KLIA Ekspres | 29.92 | 760 |
| Thailand | mass transit | train floor | Bangkok MRTA | 45.67 | 1160 |
See also
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Railway station |
References
- ^ http://www.prorail.nl/Pers/Persberichten/Actueel/Landelijk/Pages/ProRailinvesteert450miljoeneurointoegankelijkheid.aspx
- ^ http://www.prorail.nl/English/Documents/20778116%20v2%20-%20Netverklaring%202010%20%27Gemengde%20net%27%20EN.pdf
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