Field observation and analysis of waiting passengers at subway platform — A case study of Beijing subway stations

Abstract

As a common human activity in the subway platform, waiting occupies a large amount of passengers’ time and plays an important role in the aggregation, circulation, and segregation of passenger flows. The initial spatial distribution of waiting passengers at the subway platform may contribute significantly to the operational efficiency of the subway station. In this paper, we explore the behaviors of waiting passengers by field observations and video recordings at two of Beijing’s subway stations under normal conditions and intervention of guide. The data, including distribution of waiting pedestrians on waiting zones, percentages of waiting modes under different density levels, as well as distributions of distance headway, movement speed, and mean waiting time are collected and analyzed in two cases. Quantitative analyses of the collected data of waiting passengers under normal and intervention conditions are conducted to assess the impact of the guide on the behavior of waiting passengers by comparing the indicators of the number of passengers in each waiting zone, percentages of waiting modes, distance headway, as well as mean waiting time. Through analyses of the collected data, the behavioral characteristics of waiting passengers under the tactical and operational levels are revealed. The findings of this paper are beneficial to the organization of waiting passengers and the improvement of operational efficiency of subway stations.