Seoul Metro reveals hot tips for cooler subway rides this summer

Sweat-free subway rides may be possible this summer, with Seoul Metro on Thursday revealing advice to enhance commuter comfort during the sweltering summer season.

Commuters stand in a seatless subway car on line No. 7 on Sunday. [YONHAP]

Sweat-free subway rides may be possible this summer, with Seoul Metro on Thursday revealing advice to enhance commuter comfort during the sweltering summer season.

As Korea faces the warmest June in history, Seoul Metro unveiled strategies to use its subway cooling systems efficiently. Seoul Metro operates subway lines No. 1 through No. 8.

According to the operator, the coolest areas for each compartment are the two opposite ends, where the seats for vulnerable commuters are located. Conversely, the center experiences the highest temperatures, as the airflow within the compartment directs heat toward the middle.

Seoul Metro explains this airflow pattern allows commuters to adjust their comfort based on personal temperature preferences.

Additionally, temperatures can vary significantly between seats. According to the operator, seat temperatures within each compartment can differ by as much as six degrees Celsius, depending on their location.

This explains why some passengers might complain of being cold, while others say they feel hot within the same compartment.

For those sensitive to the cold, the operator recommends the weaker air-conditioned compartments be maintained at a slightly higher temperature — 25 to 26 degrees Celsius — than the others. Various lines have specific compartments with weaker air conditioning, except for line No. 2 due to high congestion. On lines No. 1, No. 3 and No. 4, these are the fourth and seventh compartments, and on lines No. 5, No. 6 and No. 7, they are the fourth and fifth. They are the third and fourth compartments on line No. 8.

To check how crowded each train is, Seoul Metro's application, "Seoul Subway,” offers congestion rates for each compartment of a train, along with real-time train information and station guidance.

The operator recommended choosing less-crowded compartments to improve the commuting experience, as room temperatures can increase with congestion levels.

With the scorching weather arriving unusually early due to climate change, complaints regarding air conditioning have significantly increased. Out of the 59,386 complaints filed from June 1 to 14, 81.6 percent, or 51,145 cases, were related to air conditioning.

In response to these complaints, train crews are controlling the cooling systems to maintain optimal temperatures, at around 24 degrees Celsius, by running all air conditioning and fans during commuting hours.

“While Seoul Metro is regularly inspecting and cleaning our cooling systems, we are also working to introduce new subway trains with improved cooling abilities,” said Seoul Metro CEO Baek Ho, encouraging passengers to use the subway more frequently.

BY WOO JI-WON, HAN YOUNG-HYE[woo.jiwon@joongang.co.kr]