Study on Occupancy Behaviors of Passengers in the Subway Cabin: An Observation in Chengdu, China

Table 1

The primary literature on the cabin’s interior use.

Literature	Object	Method	Attributes of focus on	The main point of view	The distinction between research objectives
[10]	British rail train	Focus groups, SP questionnaires, and video-based RP surveys	Passengers’ preference for seat layout	(i) Railway passengers prefer 2 + 2 seats rather than 3 + 3 or longitudinal seats.	A comprehensive survey of seat preferences took into account almost all seat layouts on British trains. However, standing passengers do not need to be considered in the survey of traditional trains.
				(ii) In crowded cabins, 2 + 2 seats in the same direction are more popular than face-to-face seats.
				(iii) People do not like seats with their backs to the direction of travel.
				(iv) Thirty percent of the observation samples chose to stand.
[12]	New York subway	Take snapshots inside the cabin	Choice of seat and standing position	(i) People do not like the seat near the support post, preferring the seat by the window.	The peak hour was avoided, and the survey was conducted only in uncrowded cabins, and the behavior differences under different seat load coefficients were described. Similarly, the extent of these differences was not reported.
				(ii) As the load increases, men are more likely to stand up.
				(iii) Asymmetric doors contribute to the even distribution of standing passengers.
[18]	Australian metropolitan trains	Observation record and focus group method	Preferences for seat and standing options	(i) The first is to actively get seats, especially the position by the window.	Although field observers were deployed, the main purpose was to correct the bias caused by the focus group method. Only descriptive written records were made, lacking quantitative information.
				(ii) When it is determined that the cabin is crowded, passengers will choose to stand near the door rather than moving to the middle.
				(iii) Even when there are seats, some passengers will choose to stand because of hygiene and other factors.
[28]	Metro vehicles in Stockholm, Melbourne, and Rio de Janeiro	Focus group method, on-site questionnaire, and station observer	The effect of cabin design on passenger detention	(i) Transverse seats are not recommended in the hall.	The view was expressed that passenger growth should be addressed by changing the design of the cabin. The acquisition of data is based on the subjective attitude of passengers, and the objective data is the dwelling time of the train. The load conditions of the cabins were not reported.
				(ii) Vertical handrails provide stability for more people than the handrails at the top.
				(iii) It is necessary to provide a standing area by reducing seats.
[33]	Suburban railways in Mumbai	Observation records and face-to-face interviews	The impact of crowding on the body, emotions, and behavior	(i) Severely crowded spaces include the front hall of the carriage and the platform-carriage interface.	Qualitative research methods were used. The unselfconscious behavior of passengers was recorded by the observation method.
				(ii) Crowding reinforces negative emotions.
				(iii) Placing the hand on the overhead crossbar for a long time causes discomfort.
[34]	Australian railway	Focus group method	Passenger behavior during peak hours	(i) The poles and handrails are the most effective factors in improving the passenger’s standing experience and comfort.	A qualitative report on the attitude of passengers in the cabin during peak hours.
				(ii) Hand straps are poorly accessible and unstable.
				(iii) Reasonable design of the handrail position can improve the crowded experience.
				(iv) Leaning makes passengers feel more comfortable.
[35]	New York subway	Observation record	Passenger preference for seats and standing positions	(i) Firstly, the transverse double seats are occupied, followed by the two ends of the long seats.	The earliest literature on passenger observation combined with cabin load. It is qualitatively described by observers.
				(ii) Standing passengers will prefer the area near the ends of the cabin and the pole.
				(iii) At high density, avoidance behaviors such as facing the wall and crossing their hands among passengers will increase significantly.
[36]	Osaka Metro	Observation record	Differences of behavior between male and female passengers in the door area of the cabin	(i) Men raise their arms to grasp more frequently.	The behavior of the typical passenger was observed for a long time, but there was no observation of groups.
				(ii) Men are more likely to stand facing other people, while women usually face the door with their backs to others.