Railway platform height is the built height – above top of rail (ATR) – of passenger platforms at stations. A connected term is train floor height, which refers to the ATR height of the floor of rail vehicles. Worldwide, there are many, frequently incompatible, standards for platform heights and train floor heights. Where raised platforms are in use, train widths must also be compatible, in order to avoid both large gaps between platforms and trains and mechanical interference liable to cause equipment damage.

Differences in platform height (and platform gap) can pose a risk for passenger safety. Differences between platform height and train floor height may also make boarding much more difficult, or impossible, for wheelchair-using passengers and people with other mobility impairments, increasing station dwell time as platform or staff are required to deploy ramps to assist boarding. Platform ramps, steps, and platform gap fillers together with hazard warnings such as "mind the gap" are used to reduce risk and facilitate access. Platform height affects the loading gauge (the maximum size of train cars), and must conform to the structure gauge physical clearance specifications for the system. Tracks which are shared between freight and passenger service must have platforms which do not obstruct either type of railroad car.

To reduce construction costs, the platforms at stations on many railway systems are of low height, making it necessary for passenger cars to be equipped with external steps or internal stairs allowing passengers access to and from car floor levels. When railways were first introduced in the 19th century, low platforms were widely used from the 1880s, especially in rural areas, except in the United Kingdom. Over the years, raised platforms have become far more widespread, and are almost universal for high-speed express routes and universal in cities on commuter and rapid transit lines. Raised platforms on narrow gauge railways can prevent track gauge conversion to standard gauge or broad gauge.

Height categories

Buses, trams, trolleys, and railway passenger cars are divided into several typical categories.

• Ultra Low Floor tram – 180 mm (7 in)
• Low floor tram – 300 to 350 mm (12 to 14 in)
• High floor tram – more than 600 mm (24 in)
• Low floor train – 550 mm (22 in)
• Train (in UK or narrow gauge) – 800 to 1,200 mm (31.5 to 47.2 in)
• Train (standard gauge (except UK) or broad gauge) – 1,300 to 1,370 mm (51 to 54 in)

These are floor heights. The platforms can be much lower, overcome by onboard staircases.

Africa

Algeria

Typical Algerian platforms are 550 mm (21.7 in) above rail.

Kenya

The 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) SGR platforms are two standard heights of 300 mm (11.8 in) and 1,250 mm (49.2 in) above rail heads. The 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) meter gauge platforms are 1,100 mm (43.3 in).

Asia

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China

China Railway platforms are classified into the following categories of "low" 380 mm (15.0 in), "medium" 550 mm (21.7 in), "high" 760 mm (29.9 in) and "ultra high" 1,250 mm (49.2 in) (latter 2 for most new and rebuilt platforms). Areas adjacent to broad gauge countries/regions, such as Xinjiang and Inner-Mongolia, are still equipped with low platforms. Under the concession period since late 2016, platforms on the southeastern corridor from Shenzhen to Ruili to be 1,250 mm (49.2 in) ATR, whereas the northern-, central-, and western-Chinese platforms to be 380 mm (15.0 in) ATR, are recommended.

Most CRH platforms are 1,250 millimetres (49.2 in) above top of rail, with the remainders being 760 millimetres (29.9 in).

The proposed 1,524 mm (5 ft) (Russian gauge) Rail North China^{[note 1]} platforms will be 200 mm (7.9 in) above rails.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong's railway network consists of the local MTR network (including the former KCR), Hong Kong Tramways, and the Hong Kong section of the XRL high-speed line.

MTR network

Platforms on the MTR are 1,250 mm (49.213 in) above the rail for the Tung Chung line and Airport Express, collectively known as the Airport Railway lines.^[1]

The height of platforms on the Disneyland Resort line and the urban lines are 1,100 mm (43.307 in). The urban lines include the Tsuen Wan line, Kwun Tong line, Tseung Kwan O line, Island line, and South Island line.

Former KCR network

All platforms on the East Rail line and Tuen Ma line are 1,066.8 mm (42 in) above rail heads.^[2]

The light rail system uses a platform height of 910 mm (36 in) above rail level.^[3]

High-speed rail line

Trains at Hong Kong West Kowloon railway station travel along the XRL on China's high-speed rail system and so must be compliant with the platform height standard of 1,250 mm (49.213 in) above the rail.

India

There are two standard heights of platforms in India: 200 mm (7.9 in) and 760 mm (29.9 in).

Indonesia

There are three standard heights of the platforms, 180 mm (7.1 in) (low), 430 mm (16.9 in) (medium), and 1,000 mm (39.4 in) (high) above rail heads.^[4] Most railway stations in Indonesia use low platforms.^[5]

Iran

Iran's platforms are 380 mm (15.0 in), 550 mm (21.7 in) and 760 mm (29.9 in). Like in China, areas adjacent to broad gauge countries/regions such as the eastern regions such as around Mashhad and Zahedan, still equipped low platforms.

Israel

Israel Railways platforms fall in the range between 760 mm (29.9 in) to 1,060 mm (41.7 in) above top of rail.^[6]

Japan

The Japanese National Railways (JNR) for many years used a triple-standard for its conventional (Cape gauge) lines:

• 760 mm (29.9 in) for long-distance trains (originally step-fitted passenger cars pulled by steam engines);
• 1,100 mm (43.3 in) for commuter trains (step-less electric multiple units at a time when long-distance trains were not); and
• 920 mm (36.2 in) shared platforms that could serve both with relatively little discomfort (roughly level with the step on passenger carriages but not too low to board commuter trains).

However, increasing electrification and the phasing-out of locomotive traction in favor of multiple units has made the distinction a matter of historical, rather than practical relevance. Recently, at Japan Railways Group stations in urban centers such as Tokyo and Osaka, whose lines were the earliest to be electrified, 1,100 mm (43.3 in) is the norm and lower-level platforms are generally raised to this height during station improvements or refurbishment. Elsewhere, such as Hokkaido and the Tohoku/Hokuriku region of Honshu, 920 mm (36.2 in) – and even 760 mm (29.9 in) platforms are still commonplace. As this represents a potential obstacle when boarding modern commuter trains, workarounds such as a step built into the floor of area-specific trainsets are often employed. Nevertheless, with accessibility becoming a greater concern as Japan's population ages, raising the level of the platform itself (in tandem with other improvements such as elevators and escalators) is seen as the most practical solution.

In at least one case, with the E721 series EMU used on JR East lines in the Tohoku region, the floor of the train itself is lowered to be nearly level to existing 920 mm (36.2 in) platforms. This makes level boarding feasible at many stations (and boarding less of a hassle at stations with the lowest 760 mm (29.9 in) platforms). However, this (along with a different standard of electrification) also makes through service southward to Tokyo impossible, and prevents them from running on certain through lines, such as the Senseki-Tohoku Line, since the Senseki Line portion uses the higher 1,100 mm (43.3 in) platforms (and DC electrification).

In contrast to the above standards, the standard gauge Shinkansen (Bullet Train) has, since its original inception, used only 1,250 mm (49.2 in) platforms. However, exceptions from this include the "Mini-Shinkansen" Yamagata Shinkansen and Akita Shinkansen lines, which use 1,100 mm (43.3 in) platforms to maintain compatibility with conventional JR trainsets.

Most standard gauge non-JR commuter railways, such as Kintetsu Nara Line and Keisei Line, use 1,250 mm (49.2 in) platforms.

North Korea

North Korea's platforms are standardized at 1,250 mm (49.2 in) only. In there, 1,250 mm (49.2 in) is the norm, lower-level platforms are already raised to this height.

South Korea

Korail adopted 550 mm (21.7 in) high platforms to operate KTX. Typically, older platforms are lower than 500 mm. For metro trains, higher platforms which height after 1,135 mm (44.7 in)^[7] are used. Nuriro trains are using mechanical steps to allow both type of platforms. Korail has a long-term plan to change platform standards to higher platforms; both KTX-Eum and EMU-320 are designed to use higher platforms.

Philippines

There are various platform heights for railway lines in the Philippines. For heavy rail and commuter rail systems such as the LRT Line 2 and the PNR Metro Commuter Line, most stations are generally set at 1,100 mm (43.3 in). For the LRT Line 1 and MRT Line 3 which use light rail vehicles, the platform heights are at 620 mm (24.4 in)^[8] and 920 mm (36.2 in), respectively.^[9][10] Future train lines such as the Metro Manila Subway and the North–South Commuter Railway will use the same heavy rail standard at 1,100 mm (43.3 in),^[11] while the PNR South Long Haul's platform height will be the Chinese standard of 1,250 mm (49.2 in).^[12]

Previously, the Philippine National Railways had lower platforms prior to the 2009 reconstruction of its network. Some stations such as Santa Mesa have its 200 mm (7.9 in) curb height platforms still intact as of 2020, while others such as Naga and EDSA have 760 mm (29.9 in) platforms built during the early 2000s.

Taiwan

Taiwan high-speed rail platforms are 1,250 mm (49.2 in) above rail.

In Taiwan, Taiwan Railways Administration's platforms were 760 mm (29.9 in) tall and passengers must take two stair steps to enter the train. In 2001, however, the platforms were raised to 960 mm (37.8 in), cutting the steps needed to one. Between 2016 and 2020, platforms were again raised to 1,150 mm (45.3 in), and the unnecessary gap on trains were filled in.^[13]

Thailand

Old railway platforms are usually less than 500 mm (20 in) in height. New platforms along double tracking projects, red line projects, and metro stations are built at 1,100 mm (43.3 in) height. Bang Bamru railway station is built with both high and low platforms.

Eurasia

Kazakhstan

In Kazakhstan, only Astana Nurly Jol station and Russian Railway's Petropavlovsk station have 550 mm (21.7 in) platforms. Almost everywhere else, the platforms are 200 mm (7.9 in) above top of rail.

Russia

As of late 2015, there are three standard heights of platforms, which include:

• 200 mm (7.9 in) for long-distance trains (originally locomotive-hauled step-fitted passenger carriages);
• 1,100 mm (43.3 in) for direct-current only commuter trains (step-less direct current commuter electric multiple units at a time when long-distance trains were not); and
• 550 mm (21.7 in) for shared platforms that could serve both with relatively little discomfort (roughly level with the steps on passenger carriages but not too low to board commuter trains).

In some urban areas, such as Moscow and St Petersburg, served only by local traffic, use 1,100 mm (43.3 in) platforms for direct-current electric multiple units. Elsewhere, 550 mm (21.7 in) and even 200 mm (7.9 in) platforms are almost commonplace. In some cases, such as VR Sm4 of Finland, the floor of the train itself lowered to be nearly level to 550 mm (21.7 in) platforms. This makes level boarding feasible at some stations (and boarding less of a hassle at stations with the lowest 200 mm (7.9 in) platforms).

The proposed 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) Indian gauge Indo-Siberian railways^{[note 2]} platforms will be 200 mm (7.9 in) above top of rail.

Turkey

In Turkey, the standard platform height for commuter railways is 1,050 mm (41.3 in) and for mainline & high-speed railways it's 550 mm (21.7 in).

Europeedit

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European Unionedit

The European Union Commission issued a TSI (Technical Specifications for Interoperability) on 30 May 2002 (2002/735/EC) that sets out standard platform heights for passenger steps on high-speed rail. These standard heights are 550 and 760 mm (21.7 and 29.9 in) ^{[14][note 3]}. There are special cases: 840 mm (33.1 in) for the Netherlands, 915 mm (36.0 in) for Great Britain, and 915 mm (36.0 in) for Ireland.

Broad-gauge railwaysedit

The proposed 1,520 mm (4 ft 11+27⁄32 in) (Russian gauge) railways (e.g. Arctic Railway and Košice–Vienna broad-gauge line) for Sweden and Norway, 200 mm (7.9 in) and 550 mm (21.7 in) for Poland and Slovakia, and 380 mm (15.0 in) for Germany and Austria.

Channel Tunneledit

Platforms for Eurotunnel Shuttle are 1,100 mm (43.3 in) above rails.

Rail Balticaedit

The 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) European standard gauge Rail Baltica II platforms will be 760 mm (29.9 in)^[16] above rails.

Belgiumedit

Belgium has been using mixed type of platform heights (due to the age of the network, and the different companies running it before 1923). As of 2017 the most common platform heights for small stop places and stations are low platform heights of 280 mm (11.0 in).^[17]

There is a plan to comply with the European TSI by raising all low platform heights to one of the European Standard Heights. Most stations will by then be equipped with 550 mm platforms, and direct current EMUs dedicated platforms will be upgraded in their final version to 760 mm. Some stations, or stopping points, already having 760 mm platform heights will keep the platforms at these heights.

Zdroj:https://en.wikipedia.org?pojem=Railway_platform_height
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