Seoul Metro Line 4 to trial seatless subway carriages

A subway car without seats that will be tested on Seoul Metro Line 4 / Courtesy of Seoul Metro

Seoul Metro announced, Tuesday, that it will conduct a one-year operational test of subway trains containing one carriage without any seats on Line 4, starting Wednesday in a move to alleviate congestion during rush hour.

During the one-year testing phase, one subway carriage of each train will have all its seating removed, as a way to tackle congestion levels on the busy line. This will be applied only to the trains that are operating during rush hour in the morning.

The decision to prioritize Line 4 for testing was influenced by its high congestion levels. According to the operator of most of Seoul's subway lines (1 to 8 and part of Line 9), Line 4 reported a congestion level of 193.4 percent in the third quarter of 2023, recording the highest among lines 1 to 8.

This marks the first instance of removing seats from a subway carriage. Seoul Metro expects the elimination of the seats will give passengers an additional 12.6 square meters of standing space, reducing congestion by 40 percent and enhancing overall convenience.

Safety measures have been implemented to address concerns related to the removal of seats. The installation of additional poles and handles will help to prevent accidents, such as falls, thereby ensuring passenger safety.

As of November last year, Seoul Metro increased the frequency of subway trains operating during rush hour on lines 4 and 7 so as to manage congestion levels better.

Originally, operational testing of subway trains with one carriage having no seats was planned for both lines, but congestion on Line 7 appears to now be under control following an increase in the number of trains in operation, according to Seoul Metro.

Seoul Metro will review the possibility of expansion of the program after monitoring its effectiveness in reducing congestion.

Seoul Metro CEO Baek Ho expressed the organization's commitment to reducing congestion through various measures, such as increasing the number of trains and the deployment of congestion safety helpers at stations with a high number of passengers.

“If the positive effects of congestion reduction are found through this pilot project, the consideration of expanding implementation will be on the agenda, ensuring citizens can utilize the subway system more comfortably and safely,” he said.