Cross-platform interchange
A typical bidirectional cross-platform interchange configuration consists of two outbound directions of two different lines sharing an island platform, and the respective return directions of both lines sharing a different island platform in the same station complex.
Less common is a cross-platform interchange to transfer onto a continuation of same single line served by that station, for example in Kirkby, Ormskirk, and Pittsburg/Bay Point.
This applies at places where trains of different directions meet in minor and major hubs, but this arrangement is only found at some interchange stations in metro and other rail networks worldwide.
For instance, this kind of interchange is used at many European railway minor hubs to connect fast trains to local feeder services, as well as surface sections of suburban lines like the RER E in Paris or the Metro North Hudson Line in New York State.
However, local–express interchanges are found in only a few metro networks, such as Chicago, Chengdu, London (as in the case of Stratford discussed below),[2] New York City, and Philadelphia.
Another peculiar configuration exists at Pittsburg/Bay Point station on the BART system in the San Francisco Bay area, California, United States.
In metro systems with short headways, typical waiting time is small, but such a noncoordinated approach could reduce the advantages of stairless cross-platform interchange in railway networks with sparser train traffic.
Coordinated interchange is widely used in Dutch, German, and Swiss railway networks, where trains of different lines meet at the same platforms in numerous hubs all over the country.
Some railway operators will briefly delay train departure signals to allow imminently arriving passengers time to interchange.
Popular with passengers, this design was repeated on Admiralty station when the Island line in Victoria was opened to deal with anticipated heavy opposite-direction interchange ridership.
Tanah Merah MRT station also has a similar arrangement, with the terminating rail for the East West line Changi Airport Extension aligned between the two the East West line platforms, allowing commuters to alight and board simultaneously on either side too.
Beitou Station allows for cross-platform transfers for southbound trains only due to differing operating routes.
Further, cross-platform connections are offered at Amstel station between metro lines 51, 53, 54 and suburban and intercity services of Netherlands Railways.
Brussels South railway station offers an interesting example of double-level cross-platform interchange, where the goal is to make it easier for passengers to "double back".
The Charleroi light rail system includes two stations, Beaux-Arts and Waterloo, with possible cross-platform interchanges.
The only cross-platform interchange of the Cologne premetro network is Ebertplatz station, where passengers can change easily between high and low floor lines sharing an island platform for each direction.
Another cross-platform interchange is used at the northwestern terminus of metro line U1 at Norderstedt Mitte station where metros use the outer tracks and interconnect with the non-electrified suburban line A2 of AKN private railway company terminating on the center track in between the two island platforms.
Within the Munich S-Bahn (suburban rail) network, Westkreuz, Giesing, Berg am Laim and Besucherpark junction stations offer cross-platform interchanges for transfers between both branches.
Under discussion are cross-platform interchanges in the same running direction for connecting the central bypass to the existing trunk route at least at Laim and Leuchtenbergring stations.
At Ostbahnhof, cross-platform interchanges have been possible since 2004 between regional trains from Rosenheim and Mühldorf to S-Bahn lines towards Ebersberg, Erding and Munich Airport (only in these directions).
For information about the Rhine-Ruhr Stadtbahn (premetro) network, see among the related cities (Bochum, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Essen, Mülheim).
Södertälje Hamn railway station on the Stockholm commuter rail network provides optimised transfer between the J40, J41 and J48 lines.
In the Chicago "L" metro network, Howard, Wilson, Belmont, and Fullerton stations offer cross-platform interchange in the same direction between different services on the North Side Main Line.
At Pennsylvania Station in Newark, there is a cross-platform interchange between Newark–World Trade Center and NJ Transit trains bound for New York City.
Newark Penn Station also contains a cross-platform interchange for NJ Transit trains coming from New York City.
The LIRR's electrified Ronkonkoma Branch extends over non-electrified tracks to Greenport station with diesel trains, requiring a transfer.
SEPTA's Broad Street Line has cross-platform interchanges between local and express trains at Olney Transportation Center, Erie, Girard, Spring Garden, Race-Vine, City Hall, and Walnut–Locust station.
East of Pittsburg/Bay Point, there is a dedicated transfer platform between the main BART system and eBART, for continuation of travel inbound or outbound.
Melbourne's suburban railway offers cross-platform interchanges along the City Loop according to the operation concept, and depending on time and day.
Selected cross-platform interchanges can also be made at Campbelltown, Central, Glenfield, Granville, Hornsby, Lidcombe, Redfern, Revesby, Sydenham and Town Hall.
