{{short description|Train station layout that uses both island and side platforms}} {{Routemap |title = Spanish solution |legend = 0 |collapsible = no |map-title = 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 |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 and rapid transit parlance, the '''Spanish solution''' is a station layout with two railway platforms, one on each side of a track,<ref name="vdi2013">{{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 }}</ref> 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.<ref name="vdi2013"/> The separate designation of platforms for boarding and alighting has been proven effective at reducing dwell time at stations with high passenger numbers.<ref name="fendrich2007">{{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 }}</ref>
The Spanish solution is most commonly applied at high-frequency underground metro 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 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 (e.g. Avenida de América) and Barcelona Metro (e.g. Sant Andreu).
It is now also used in many rail stations around the world. An example of the Spanish solution within Europe is the Karlsplatz (Stachus) station on the Munich S-Bahn in Germany, which has island platforms for boarding and side platforms for alighting. In Asia, the LRT platforms at Choa Chu Kang station in Singapore also use the Spanish solution.<ref>{{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}}</ref>
==Gallery== <gallery class="center" heights="250" widths="250"> File:München Marienplatz.jpg|Eastbound track at Marienplatz station, Munich S-Bahn File:Metro Paris - Ligne 6 - station Etoile 01.jpg|Spanish solution on Line 6 at Charles de Gaulle–Étoile, Paris Metro File:GreenLineMetroChabacano.JPG|Platforms of the Chabacano station on Line 8, Mexico City Metro File:Park Street Under platforms, September 1912.jpg|Boston's Park Street Under station 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 in Seattle used for transfers between trains File:Sydney Olympic Park train station (49755055828).jpg|Olympic Park station in 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 on Lines 2 and 6, Brussels Metro </gallery>
== See also == * Cross-platform interchange * Interchange station
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{commonscat-inline|Spanish solution}}
{{Railway track layouts}}
Category:Rapid transit Category:Railway platforms
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