metro station
A site where passengers regularly board and alight from subways, light rail, and rapid transit in an urban network.
A metro station is a facility adjoining any rapid transit railroad line, where passengers get on and off of trains. It includes stations on subway, light rail, elevated, and similar urban transit networks, but does not include train stations on regional, or intercity passenger railroads. It also does not include stations on tram lines which overlay streets; in the case of light rail, the rails must have a designated right of way, with other vehicle traffic overlapping only at crossing points.
The railway service and its right of way distinguish the station. A train station serves regional or intercity passenger trains, while a tram station serves streetcars. For the light-rail facilities described here, a road crossing does not turn a designated rail right of way into a track shared continuously with road traffic.
The station may be underground, elevated, or at ground level. Platform layout and construction method do not change the transport service it accommodates. A shared interchange can contain facilities for both urban rapid transit and regional or intercity trains.
