Prague asks people how they prefer to travel by subway. It also tests the popularity of swivel seats
When you take the subway, do you prefer to sit in the direction of travel, or do you prefer to stand regardless of the length of the trip? The Prague transport company is now asking about the preferences of Praguers when traveling by metro. The answers are needed when deciding whether to turn the seats 90 degrees in other sets. According to Deputy Mayor Adam Scheinherr, more than 3,500 people have already taken part in the vote.
When traveling by subway, Praguers can choose from several differently oriented seats. There is a choice of sitting in the direction or, conversely, against the direction of travel or also sideways.
To the internet survey conducted by the Prague Transport Company (DDP) published on its websitepeople should only get involved if they take the Prague metro at least once a week.
“The poll will run until the end of April. We will present the results to Praguers. We are very interested in voting. So far, over 3,500 people are using it,” Deputy Mayor for Transport Adam Scheinherr (Prague himself) told Aktuálně.cz. Prague has over 1.3 million inhabitants and the metro transports more than 1.6 million passengers a day.
The short questionnaire consists of twelve questions. Respondents are asked, for example, whether they prefer to sit or stand in the subway, or in which direction they prefer to sit or what seats they prefer. There is only one question, which people can write their suggestions on how to increase comfort when traveling by subway.
“We would like to find out other information from the participants of the survey, such as how often they use the metro, how long they usually travel or which lines they use most often,” added DPP spokeswoman Aneta Řeháková for Aktuálně.cz.
Seat rotation
The results of the questionnaire will help Prague in deciding on the maintenance or replacement of seats in metro trains. The metropolis also wants to find out whether Praguers are satisfied with the seats turned 90 degrees further to the direction of travel and whether it should continue with this adjustment in the wagons. Last year, Prague turned in the seats in some metro sets on lines A and B, thanks to which passengers sit with their backs to the wall.
A picture from the train set running on line A shows some seats turning into an aisle. | Photo: Facebook.com/Adam Scheinherr
“When people take the subway alone, they often sit in a separate seat opposite a couple with their feet turned down the aisle. I’ve been noticing this for a long time, and I’m doing it myself. .
From a technical point of view, however, it is possible to turn only the seats in the 81-71M sets of newer production series, which run on routes A and B. In the M1 sets, which operate on line C, this is not possible due to other available seats, their mounting and space in wagon.
Scheinherr said that there are currently turned “single seats” in a total of twelve subway trains A and B. “We have no feedback on them yet,” the deputy added.
In the past, Scheinherr initiated several minor changes in Prague’s traffic, such as the placement of contactless traffic light buttons last year, and the year before last the coloring of some trains, subway cars, trams and buses to a red-gray design. The new garb of vehicles at the time criticized the United Forces for Prague (TOP 09 and STAN), according to which they should have been used more meaningfully for the benefit of the people of Prague during the coronavirus crisis.
What autonomous trains will look like
The transport company wants to know the preferences of Praguers when traveling by metro also to help him choose seats for autonomous trains without drivers, which are to run on route C in the future, as well as the new line D.
The metropolis has a fourth subway line to begin construction in late April. The first part to be built from Pankrác to Nové Dvory, then the builders will rush to the continuation of the route to the Písnice Depot and then they will have to complete the line from Pankrác to náměstí Míru.
In the future, Prague could be expanded by a fifth line marked O. It would lead from Podbaba Railway Station via Dejvice, Smíchov, Dvorce, Budějovická, Vršovice, Žižkov, Vysočany, Čakovice and then in the second phase north back to Podbaba.