Improving Urban Railway Seat Sizes Considering Human Body Dimensions

Objective: This study aims to assess accommodation of current urban railway seats and provide the optimal sizes for the seats based on ergonomic principles.<br/>Background: Urban railways play a significant role in modern transportation. Despite their importance, passenger satisfaction with urban railway seats remains relatively low.<br/>Method: The seat dimensions of Daegu Urban Railway vehicles were analyzed. Comparisons were made with seats from high-speed rail and airlines, to assess relative seat comfort and space availability. A survey was conducted to assess passengers’ satisfaction and discomfort. Anthropometric data from Size Korea (1992-2021) were examined to identify changes in body dimensions relevant to seat design. A new ergonomic formula was introduced to determine the optimal urban railway seat width.<br/>Results: Comparison with other transport modes demonstrated that urban railway seats are considerably narrower, especially given the absence of armrests. The survey findings revealed that 83.3% of participants expressed dissatisfaction and all of them agreed that seat width is the primary issue. The anthropometric analysis from Size Korea confirmed a gradual increase in hip breadth, bideltoid width, waist circumference, and other key dimensions. The ideal urban railway seat width was determined to be 519㎜ (total 50%^tile), 549㎜ (male 50%^tile), and 593㎜ (male 95%^tile).<br/>Conclusion: This study provided an updated ergonomic guideline for urban railway seat design based on passenger feedback, anthropometric data, and comparative analysis with other transport modes.<br/>Application: The newly proposed ergonomic formula can be used to revise and optimize future urban railway seat specifications. adjusting seat width based on anthropometric changes will contribute to higher passenger comfort and long-term satisfaction.