A through service is a concept of passenger transport that involves a vehicle travelling between lines, networks or operators on a regularly specified schedule, on which the passenger can remain on board without alighting. It may be in form of either the following:
The term through service may be extended to have a wider meaning encompassing a route which allows the passenger to travel without alighting, for example, in a route change announcement, if a route A-B and a route B-C is combined to A-B-C, it may be described as a new "through service" between A and C. [1] [2] This is in contrast with direct service, where a through service may be a circuitous route but allows the passenger on board for the whole circuitous journey. This is to be distinguished with operating arrangement which a vehicle changes its service route between revenue journeys at a terminus, but requires passengers to alight or retender fare.
A train on a through service may also be called a through train [3] (also referred to as through service, [4] run-through service/train [5] or interline [6] [7] ).
In operational terms, a through train is a train operated on different railway lines, possibly between different operators as well. This is usually accomplished through compatible infrastructure—identical track gauge and durability issues (although variable gauge trains do exist, they tend to be expensive), rolling stock dimensions, curve speed and signaling compatibility, train station dimensions (to avoid damage to rolling stock), tunnels and bridge dimensions and maximum weight, and power requirements. The exact terminology (and definition) vary as usage; in the case of National Rail of the UK, a through train is one which may be used by a passenger to make their entire journey without changing trains. [3]
However, the fact that a train travels on different lines, or even tracks of different operators, may not be obvious if it is operated within the same network from a passenger's perspective. For example, trains in China commonly travel between lines to service different destination, but only when it involves a change of train number as a result of changing from an up-line to another down-line, or vice versa (see below), it is obvious to the passenger.
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In mainland China, as train numbers are decided on the direction (up/down) of track, with up (to Beijing) trains having even train numbers and down (from Beijing) trains having odd train numbers. If a services travel on tracks in different directions, the train number changes at the station where the train changes direction, creating a through service.
For example, the train service from Guangzhou to Lhasa operates between Guangzhou to Zhengzhou as Z264 on the up line, and changes to Z265 from Zhengzhou to Lhasa on the down line, and passengers can stay on board for the whole journey. If a ticket is bought across both section, both train numbers will be shown on the ticket.
Chinese cities operate several through services:
Several metro systems have through operation (simplified Chinese :贯通运营; traditional Chinese :貫通運營; pinyin :guàntōng yùnyíng) between lines.
Paris Réseau express régional:
In both cases, trains run contiguously, thus providing a one-seat ride across both SNCF and RATP networks. To achieve smooth network crossing, RATP and SNCF jointly designed and ordered specific MI 79 rolling stock (where MI stands for matériel d'interconnexion, French for "cross-network rolling stock.") Change of drivers was compulsory at network boundaries until 2008 when one-driver cross-network runs were introduced.
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In Germany, such services are called Durchbindung.
Through services (直通運転, chokutsū unten) are regularly scheduled train services owned by an operator which runs over tracks which it does not own. Many urban railways in Japan operate such services to increase ridership, increase convenience and simplicity, and reduce time to destinations by eliminating transfers through seamless connection. One example is a Narita-to-Haneda Airport Express service, which runs on four companies' tracks-Keikyu, Toei, Keisei, and Hokuso Railway. Despite fewer new lines in recent years as the system is mature, more through services are proliferating to reduce cross metropolitan area connection time, at least in theory.
A 2016 MLIT study has shown that minor train delays are quite commonplace in Greater Tokyo during rush hour, at odds with Japan's image of train punctuality. The reason for this is that the subway lines in particular are subject to heavier loads, and thus more delay as riders rush in at the last minute, and forcing final door closings to be delayed. The proliferation of through-services has only magnified the problem, as it acts as a double-edged sword, though convenient in not having to switch trains, central Tokyo delays increasingly cause a ripple effect to through services on suburban lines. [12]
Subway trains of Seoul Subway Line 1, Line 3 and Line 4 run through to Korail suburban lines. Suin Line and Bundang Line services were merged into the Suin-Bundang Line.
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Russia operates regular scheduled through services with other countries:
The mainline rail network in Great Britain, with a few exception, is owned and operated by Network Rail which organises its track into lines, such as South West Main Line and East Coast Main Line. A through service on the National Rail network running on the mainline rail is defined as a journey for which a change of train is not required. [3] These trains commonly run through multiple lines of Network Rail for their journey.
In addition, there are also some through service across different infrastructure owners as well, which include:
In the United States, a through train is referred to as interline and is defined as "the interchange of passengers between one or more bus lines, rail transit lines, or railroads" or "the transfer of transit vehicles or trains between routes during a day to improve staff or vehicle assignment efficiency". [6] [7] Examples of interlining include:
There are some bus services which travel on a route, or a section of it, and change the route number while allowing passengers to stay on board. Such services can be describe as through services.
For example, morebus routes 16 and 17 may operate as a through service through Bournemouth Square, allowing the passenger to stay on board with a through fare. [14]
Commuter rail, or suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting commuters to a central city from adjacent suburbs or commuter towns. Commuter rail systems are considered heavy rail, using electric or diesel trains. Distance charges or zone pricing may be used.
The Beijing Subway is the rapid transit system of Beijing Municipality that consists of 27 lines including 22 rapid transit lines, two airport rail links, one maglev line and 2 light rail lines, and 490 stations. The rail network extends 836 km (519 mi) across 12 urban and suburban districts of Beijing and into one district of Langfang in neighboring Hebei province. With 3.8484 billion trips delivered in 2018, an average of 10.544 million trips per day, the Beijing Subway is the world's busiest metro system. Single-day ridership set a record of 13.7538 million on July 12, 2019. Being 836 kilometres (519 mi) in system length, the Beijing Subway is the longest metro system by route length, surpassing the Shanghai Metro in December 2023.
The Shenzhen Metro is the rapid transit system for the city of Shenzhen in Guangdong province, China. The Line 8 Extension opened on 27 December 2023 put the network at 555.43 kilometres of trackage, operating on 16 lines with 373 stations. Shenzhen Metro is the 4th longest metro system in China and 4th longest in the world as of that date despite having only opened on 28 December 2004. By 2035 the network is planned to comprise 8 express and 24 non-express lines totaling 1,142 kilometres of trackage.
The Tianjin Metro or Tianjin Rail Transit is the rapid transit system in the city of Tianjin, which was the second city in mainland China after Beijing to operate a subway system. First opened in 1984, the system currently has 10 operating lines and 217 stations spanning 301 km (187.0 mi).
Wuhan Metro is a rapid transit system serving the city of Wuhan, Hubei, China. Owned and operated by Wuhan Metro Group Co., Ltd., the network now includes 12 lines, 300 stations, and 486.3 km (302.2 mi) of route length. With 1.22 billion annual passengers in 2019, Wuhan Metro is the sixth-busiest rapid transit system in mainland China. There are a number of lines or sections under construction. The government of Wuhan City promised the citizens that at least two lines or sections open every year.
The Chongqing Rail Transit is the rapid transit system in the city of Chongqing, China. In operation since 2005, it serves the transportation needs of the city's main business and entertainment downtown areas and inner suburbs. As of December 2023, CRT consisted of eleven lines, with a total track length of 523.68 km (325 mi). Lines 1, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 18, the Loop line and Jiangtiao line are conventional heavy-rail metro lines, while Lines 2 and 3 are high-capacity monorails. To keep up with urban growth, construction is under way on Line 18 and several other lines, in addition to extensions to Lines 5, 6 and 10.
Urban rail transit in China encompasses a broad range of urban and suburban electric passenger rail mass transit systems including subway, light rail, tram and maglev. Some classifications also include non-rail bus rapid transport. As of 31 December 2023, China has the world's longest urban rail transit system with more than 10,000 km (6,200 mi) of urban rail nationwide in 49 systems in 47 cities, accounting for 9 of the 10 longest metro systems, with the exceptions of the Moscow Metro or metro systems in Seoul combined if metro systems in the same cities are merged in the rank.
Line 4 of the Beijing Subway is a subway line in Beijing's mass transit network. It entered into operation on 28 September 2009, and runs from north to south, parallel and to the west of Line 5, through Haidian, Xicheng, and Fengtai Districts in the western half of the city. It runs from Anheqiao North in the north and ends at Gongyixiqiao in the south, but the 4-Daxing connected line runs all the way to Tiangongyuan in Daxing. All stations are underground except Anheqiao North. It is 28.2 km (17.5 mi) long with 24 stations. Riding on this line starts from a fare of RMB(¥) 3.00 depending on the distance traveled. Line 4's color is teal.
Line 17 of the Shanghai Metro, formerly known as the Qingpu line, is an east-west rapid transit line that runs between Hongqiao Railway Station in Minhang District and Oriental Land in Qingpu District. All stations are fully accessible. It is 35.3 kilometres (21.9 mi) in length with 13 stations. The line entered passenger trial operations on 30 December 2017.
Line 9 is a rapid transit line of the Tianjin Metro. It spans 52.8 km (32.8 mi) with 21 stations, connecting the urban area of Tianjin with Binhai New Area, a new area within the jurisdiction of Tianjin Municipality. The one-way journey time is approximately one hour.
Ningbo Rail Transit, also known as the Ningbo Metro, is a rapid transit system serving the city of Ningbo, Zhejiang and its suburbs. Six metro lines are being built inside the urban area of Ningbo, serving Haishu, Jiangbei, Zhenhai, Beilun and Yinzhou. The first phase of Line 1 started construction in June 2009 and began to service the public on May 30, 2014. Line 2 began service on September 26, 2015.
Kunming Metro, or Kunming Rail Transit, is a rapid transit system in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province. With a rapidly growing population of just over 3 million people at the time, Kunming was one of the largest cities in China without a metro system before its construction. The system currently consists of 6 lines with 2 extensions to existing lines under construction and 5 more lines planned.
Shenzhen Metro Line 11 opened on 28 June 2016. Line 11 has a length of 53.5 km (33.2 mi) and a total of 19 stations. It connects the CBDs of Futian, Nanshan and Qianhai to Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport and onward to Fuyong, Shajing and Songgang suburban areas. It serves as both a regional express line from the west coast of Shenzhen to the city core area and an airport rail link. Compared with the other lines of Shenzhen Metro, Line 11 has a longer spacing between stops for a higher speed service. Trains of Line 11 were designed to run at 120 km/h (75 mph), up to 50% faster than other lines, but currently limited to 80 km/h (50 mph) in some sections for infrastructure, tunnel wind pressure, track geometry issues and noise reasons. Construction of Line 11 started in April 2012 and test running begun at the end of March 2016. Trains run at a 4-minute frequency between Futian and Airport North, 8-minute frequency for full length trains during morning rush hours, 5-minute interval for full length during evening rush hours, and 6-minute interval for non-peak hours. Currently it takes slightly more than half an hour to travel from Futian to the Airport. Line 11's color is violet.
Wenzhou Rail Transit, operated by Wenzhou Mass Transit Rail Corporation, is the rapid transit network serving the city of Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China. Three lines have received approval from the NDRC, and two more lines are not approved by NDRC. Line S1 has been under construction since November 2011 and was opened in January 2019. Line S2 opened in August 2023. Line S3 is under construction and will open in 2027. The first three lines are projected to cost about 50 billion yuan.
Shenzhen has an extensive transport network, including various forms of land, water and air transport.
Shanghai Rail Transit includes all rail transit lines operating in Shanghai, mainly composed of High-volume railway system, Low-to-medium-volume railway system and Maglev system. The system was established on May 28, 1993, when Shanghai Metro Line 1 opened.
Airport link line of Shanghai Suburban Railway is a commuter rail line currently under construction in Shanghai. It runs from Hongqiao railway station in Minhang District to Shanghai East railway station in Pudong. The 68.6-kilometer (42.6 mi) express line is expected to shorten the travel time between the airports of Hongqiao and Pudong from 90 minutes to under 40 minutes. Construction started in June 2019. The line is expected to open at the end of 2024.
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