Analysis of Subway Station Distribution Capacity Based on Automatic Fare Collection Data of Nanjing Metro

To realize an early warning system for crowded subway passenger flow, a new calculation method of subway station distribution capacity (SSDC) in real time is proposed. First, a new concept of SSDC is defined according to the gathering and scattering process. Based on automatic fare collection (AFC) data and passenger walking time at key facilities, a real-time calculation model of SSDC has been created. Second, passenger travel characteristics are analyzed by examining two aspects: spatial distribution expressed by cross-section passenger flow and temporal distribution presented by inbound passenger flow each hour. Then, a case study of Zhujianglu Station on Nanjing Metro Line 1 shows the calculation process and verifies the validity of this method. The verification process includes two comparisons: one is to compare the SSDC and station service capacity to obtain possible crowded passenger flow, and the other is to compare the possible crowded passenger flow and the crowded data provided by Nanjing Metro. The same method could be suitable for other metro companies equipped with AFC systems.