The new signage has already been installed in the Central Railway Station metro station. Similar signage will be added to the Lauttasaari and Itäkeskus metro stations later in November. The purpose of the trial is to find out whether the signage has an effect on passenger flow inside the stations and by the train doors. In addition, another goal is to investigate whether the signage affects passengers’ travel experience at a more general level. Later on, a passenger survey will be conducted to gather feedback on the trial.
The trial is carried out by Metropolitan Area Transport Ltd and HSL and it will last for a period of approximately three months. The trial will have no effect on metro services at the Lauttasaari, Central Railway Station and Itäkeskus metro stations and it is part of a larger whole that aims to improve the travel experience and ensure a smoother flow of passengers.
Three different types of signs will be used in the trial: In the Lauttasaari metro station, you can find the signage on the red-and-white guidance sign above the platform area, whereas floor decals will be installed in the Central Railway Station metro station. In Itäkeskus, the signs will be mounted on to the panels behind the metro tracks on the westbound platform as well as on the walls of the eastbound platform.
The trial that now takes place is a follow-up to a previous trial that was carried out in the Central Railway Station metro station in November 2021. In the previous trial, passengers were invited to provide feedback on the signs by means of interviews and surveys. According to the feedback received from the respondents, some 40 per cent were of the opinion that the signs had a positive effect on their travel experience. Based on this positive feedback, a decision was made to continue and expand the trial. The signage that is used in the current trial has been improved based on feedback from passengers.
The trial is part of metro capacity improvement
Improving the capacity and reliability of the metro is a joint project between Metropolitan Area Transport Ltd, Helsinki City Transport, HSL, Länsimetro Oy and the City of Espoo.
With the growth of the capital region and the opening of new metro stations, the number of passengers on the metro will increase. At some point, the number of passengers will exceed the capacity of the existing system. A key way to improve the passenger capacity of the metro is to shorten headways, which is something that is currently being done by renewing the train control system. In addition, there also several other measures that are being taken to ensure the reliability of metro services.
The passenger capacity of the metro can also be improved by other means, for instance by improving the signage that helps passengers navigate the stations. This is also the aim of the trial that is currently being carried out. The goal is to utilize the existing passenger capacity of the metro trains more effectively, for instance by dispersing ridership more evenly.