2. Consequences of interchange time constraints and passenger volumes on rolling stock design

2.1 Characteristics resulting directly from passenger flow management constraints

Rolling stock intended for mass transit lines must offer sufficient capacity and maximum fluidity when boarding and alighting in order to reduce the time spent parked at the platform and therefore allow a high frequency of traffic, which requires :

• high carrying capacity per train and per linear metre of train;

• doors wide enough to accommodate the large number of upward and downward passengers exchanging at interchange points (around 30 to 35 downward passengers and as many upward passengers at each...