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Passenger Capacity Of Train Calculator

Work out passenger capacity of train instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Passenger Capacity Of Train Calculator

Train capacity is seated capacity plus standing capacity, where standing is free floor area times an assumed density. The density assumption dominates the answer: 3 passengers per square metre is comfortable, 4 is normal peak loading and 6 or more is genuine crush loading.

Formula

Train capacity

capacity = cars x seats + cars x standing area x standing density

Worked example

With the default values below, Passenger Capacity Of Train Calculator returns Total capacity of 1,216. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Cars in the formation
8 cars
Seats per car
64 seats
Standing floor area per car
22 m²
Standing density
4 pax/m²

Results

Total capacity
1,216 pax
Seated capacity
512 pax
Standing capacity
704 pax
Standing share of capacity
57.9% %

Step by step

  1. 1Values used
  2. 2Train capacity
  3. 3Total capacity= 1,216 pax
  4. 4Seated capacity= 512 pax
  5. 5Standing capacity= 704 pax
  6. 6Standing share of capacity= 57.9 %

Assumptions and limits

  • The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
  • In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
  • Figures are rounded for display to 1 decimal place, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
  • Rail results are planning estimates only. Verify against the infrastructure manager's rule book, approved braking curves and applicable railway safety regulations.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Rail results are planning estimates only. Verify against the infrastructure manager's rule book, approved braking curves and applicable railway safety regulations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which standing density should I use?

4 per square metre is the usual planning figure for metro and suburban services. Use 3 for quality-of-service assessment and 6 only for absolute crush.

Why do quoted capacities vary so much?

Because operators publish different density assumptions. Always check which figure a capacity claim is based on before comparing.

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