# Spanish solution > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Spanish_solution > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Spanish_solution.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_solution > Source revision: 1339047322 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{short description|Train station layout that uses both island and side platforms}} {{Routemap |title = Spanish solution |legend = 0 |collapsible = no |map-title = [Terminal station](/source/Terminal_station) |map = PLTl\ENDEaq black!~PLTaer\STRq black!~PLTae\STRq black!~PLTae\STRq black!~PLTae\STRq black!~PLTae\STRq black!~PLTae\ABZq2 black\ABZq+3 black\CONTfq black PLTl\ENDEaq black!~PLTaer\STRq black!~PLTae\STRq black!~PLTae\STRq black!~PLTae\STRq black!~PLTae\STRq black!~PLTae\ABZq1 black\ABZq+4 black\STRq black!~MFADEfq |map2-title = [Through station](/source/Through_station) |map2 = STRq black!~MFADEgq\STRq black\STRq black!~PLTae\STRq black!~PLTae\STRq black!~PLTae\STRq black!~PLTae\STRq black!~PLTae\STRq black!~PLTae\STRq black\CONTfq black CONTgq black\STRq black\STRq black!~PLTae\STRq black!~PLTae\STRq black!~PLTae\STRq black!~PLTae\STRq black!~PLTae\STRq black!~PLTae\STRq black\STRq black!~MFADEfq }} thumb|right|Spanish solution diagram: Passengers board from the left platform and alight onto the island in the center. In [railway](/source/railway) and [rapid transit](/source/rapid_transit) parlance, the '''Spanish solution''' is a station layout with two [railway platform](/source/railway_platform)s, one on each side of a track,{{cite book |last=Olshausen |first=Hans-Gustav |title=VDI-Lexikon Bauingenieurwesen |trans-title=VDI-Lexikon civil engineering |edition=2nd |page=63 |language=de |date=9 March 2013 |publisher=Springer-Verlag |isbn=978-3-642-48098-0 }} which allows for separate platforms for boarding and alighting. ==Description== This platform arrangement allows the separation of passenger streams by using one platform only for boarding and the other only for alighting. The separate designation of platforms for boarding and alighting has been proven effective at reducing [dwell time](/source/Dwell_time_(transportation)) at stations with high passenger numbers.{{cite book |last=Fendrich |first=Lothar |title=Handbuch Eisenbahninfrastruktur |url=https://archive.org/details/handbucheisenbah00fend |url-access=limited |trans-title=Railway infrastructure handbook |pages=[https://archive.org/details/handbucheisenbah00fend/page/n57 36], 37 |language=de |date=25 January 2007 |publisher=Springer-Verlag |isbn=9783540317074 }} The Spanish solution is most commonly applied at high-frequency underground [metro](/source/Rapid_transit) stations. Stations are sometimes retrofitted to include a Spanish solution layout to expand the capacity of existing stations when there is no space to widen the existing platform, an issue that can occur in [island platform](/source/island_platform) configurations. To encourage passengers to exit to the correct platform, arriving trains typically first open their doors facing the platform for alighting passengers, and then open the doors for boarding passengers after a slight delay. ==Examples== In Spain, the Spanish solution is used in several stations of the [Madrid Metro](/source/Madrid_Metro) (e.g. [Avenida de América](/source/Avenida_de_Am%C3%A9rica_(Madrid_Metro))) and [Barcelona Metro](/source/Barcelona_Metro) (e.g. [Sant Andreu](/source/Sant_Andreu_(Barcelona_Metro))). It is now also used in many rail stations around the world. An example of the Spanish solution within Europe is the [Karlsplatz (Stachus)](/source/Munich_Karlsplatz_station) station on the [Munich S-Bahn](/source/Munich_S-Bahn) in Germany, which has [island platform](/source/island_platform)s for boarding and side platforms for alighting. In Asia, the LRT platforms at [Choa Chu Kang station](/source/Choa_Chu_Kang_MRT%2FLRT_station) in Singapore also use the Spanish solution.{{cite web |author1=Adrian Lim |title=New platforms at Choa Chu Kang LRT station to ease congestion |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/new-platforms-at-choa-chu-kang-lrt-station-to-ease-congestion |website=The Straits Times |access-date=18 February 2026 |language=en |date=23 December 2016}} ==Gallery== File:München Marienplatz.jpg|Eastbound track at [Marienplatz station](/source/Munich_Marienplatz_station), [Munich S-Bahn](/source/Munich_S-Bahn) File:Metro Paris - Ligne 6 - station Etoile 01.jpg|Spanish solution on [Line 6](/source/Paris_M%C3%A9tro_Line_6) at [Charles de Gaulle–Étoile](/source/Charles_de_Gaulle_-_%C3%89toile_(Paris_M%C3%A9tro_and_RER)), [Paris Metro](/source/Paris_Metro) File:GreenLineMetroChabacano.JPG|Platforms of the [Chabacano](/source/Metro_Chabacano) station on [Line 8](/source/Mexico_City_Metro_Line_8), [Mexico City Metro](/source/Mexico_City_Metro) File:Park Street Under platforms, September 1912.jpg|Boston's [Park Street Under station](/source/Park_Street_station_(MBTA)) in 1912. The same platform configuration is still in use. File:Pioneer Square Station center platform transfer from above.jpg|A temporary center platform at [Pioneer Square station](/source/Pioneer_Square_station_(Sound_Transit)) in [Seattle](/source/Seattle) used for transfers between trains File:Sydney Olympic Park train station (49755055828).jpg|[Olympic Park station](/source/Olympic_Park_railway_station%2C_Sydney) in [Sydney](/source/Sydney). All passengers alight on the island platform and board from the significantly wider outer platforms during major events. File:Rogier metro station platform.jpg|alt=|Platforms of the [Rogier station](/source/Rogier_metro_station) on [Lines 2](/source/Brussels_Metro_line_2) and [6](/source/Brussels_Metro_line_6), [Brussels Metro](/source/Brussels_Metro) == See also == * [Cross-platform interchange](/source/Cross-platform_interchange) * [Interchange station](/source/Interchange_station) ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== *{{commonscat-inline|Spanish solution}} {{Railway track layouts}} Category:Rapid transit Category:Railway platforms {{metro-stub}} --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Spanish solution](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_solution) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_solution?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.