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Why does the metro use reversible rails?
Whilst the train is on the reversible rails at the metro terminals, the driver simply moves from one end of the train to the other. Therefore, the train is not physically turned around, and only the direction that it travels changes. The reversible rails are used to increase the capacity of the terminal station, thus the arrival and departure of the trains are not dependent on each other.
The reversible rails at Mellunmäki and Vuosaari are however not used outside the peak hours, as it is possible at that time for the outbound train to leave the platform before the arriving train arrives at the station.
Additionally, on the reversible tracks, the trains are shortened at the end of the peak times, and prompt cleaning and maintenance procedures can also be performed on the tracks.
Why does the metro transportation stop so early?
The operating time of the metro is decided upon by the transportation subscriber, which is currently the HKL Planning Unit. The basis for the present operating times are primarily the passenger quantities, which are lower at night, to the extent that running the metro at that time is not considered to be profitable. The expansion possibilities concerning night transportation are however under consideration.
On the other hand, a number of maintenance works are performed on the metro tracks during the night, which would be unable to be performed in the event that the transportation is operating.
Why does the driver close the train doors in front of my nose?
The driver of the train observes the movement of the passengers from a mirror, and closes the doors when there seems to be no new arrivals. It is however possible that the driver is unable to see passengers who are running to the train from further away, as the mirrors only show a narrow strip alongside the side of the train.
In many cases, during the few seconds that it takes to close the doors of the train, new passengers may appear. As the frequency of the traffic is dense and the timetables are tight, it is generally not possible to reopen the doors again.
Isn’t it dangerous that the door to the unoccupied cab remains open when the drivers are changing?
There is no risk, as it is impossible to get the train moving, even in the event of a third party gaining access to the cab. During the swapping of the drivers, the cabin is generally only empty for a short duration of time, and even at that time, it is continually monitored by the drivers.
How is the safety of passengers assured in the event of a fire?
The metro tunnels have among other things, fire detection and smoke removal systems, plus emergency exits between the stations. Firefighting equipment has been placed in the trains and stations and the tunnels also have fire hydrants. The training of the personnel handles exceptional situations, and these are also drilled actively with the emergency services.
Why do the display boards in the ticket halls and the platform screen displays seem to display information in different ways?
The displays in the ticket halls are purely schedule displays, in which it is not able to change the readings in the event that a train is slightly late. Additionally, confusion may arise when a departure is erased from a ticket hall display a little time before the scheduled time: the displays in the ticket halls do not show such trains that a passenger would be unable to catch.
How many passengers are the metro trains able to accommodate?
A full length six-carriage train can accommodate about 900 passengers. There are 372 or 390 seating places, depending on the type of train.
Why don’t the Helsinki metro stations have gates, such as other metros all over the world generally have?
Helsinki metro has for some time chosen to operate as a so called open collection, the freedom of which is regarded as being to Helsinki Metro’s advantage. The flip side of the coin are however passengers who may be travelling without tickets or be acting unruly, the amount of which could be reduced with the use of gates. The installation of gates has been considered, but these are not expected in the near future.
Will the trains really operate without drivers?
Helsinki metro will become automatic, and in this perspective, the automatic trains will come into normal transportation use in 2014. The drivers will leave the trains once the automation has been accepted into use. Additional information on the project is available on the pages related to the automatic metro.
What happens if the automatic metro computer fails?
The critical systems of the automatic metro are built in a so called, fail-safe way, i.e. the train will be stopped in the event of any disruption in the system and the situation will be clarified. In addition to the traffic directors in the control room, the automatic metro will also have personnel working in the stations and trains.
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