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A report by The Basin compared escalator speed rules in 139 cities and found that LA Metro’s specified speed of 90 feet per minute is below the legal maximum in every city studied. Its model estimates that matching Hong Kong’s typical speed could save riders time, but the estimate relies on broad assumptions and does not account for costs, equipment limits or all rider needs.
LA Metro specifies escalators to run at 90 feet per minute, slower than the legal maximum allowed in each of the 139 cities examined by The Basin, according to the outlet’s comparison of transit rules. The report also modeled how much time riders might save if escalators ran faster, while stressing that its estimate depends on assumptions rather than a count of actual rider time.
The Basin reviewed rules governing escalators in 139 cities across 58 countries. It compared legal speed limits, which indicate how fast escalators are permitted to run, and separately gathered typical operating speeds where source information was available. The outlet said those operating-speed figures came from operator documents, a national registry, engineering papers and statements from operators reported in the press, with each checked against its source.
For LA Metro, the report used a design specification of 90 feet per minute, or about 0.46 meters per second. That is below the American standard’s stated cap of 100 feet per minute, about 0.508 meters per second. The Basin says California applies that 100-foot-per-minute limit to new installations and speed alterations. It also notes that LAX specifies 100 feet per minute for its escalators.
The comparison puts Hong Kong’s typical MTR station escalator speed at 148 feet per minute, or 0.75 meters per second. The Basin calculates that this is about 64% faster than Metro’s specification. Using the roughly 65-foot ascent at Civic Center/Grand Park as an example, its drawing-based estimate is about 87 seconds standing on a Metro escalator at the specified speed, compared with about 53 seconds at Hong Kong’s typical speed.
A Longer Ride Through Underground Stations
The report argues that escalator speed can add up across a transit system because riders repeatedly use escalators to enter, exit and transfer between underground stations. It modeled weekday time across 27 underground Metro stations, drawing on FY2026 average weekday boarding figures circulated in response to a public-records request. Under its assumptions, riders collectively spend about 300,000 minutes on escalators per average weekday, or roughly 1.7 million hours a year.
In the model, matching Hong Kong’s typical speed would cut about 119,000 minutes from a weekday, equivalent to about 670,000 hours annually. The Basin estimates that a commuter traveling between two underground stations each workday could save about 9.5 hours over a year. These are modeled figures, not measured savings or a forecast of an actual Metro change.
Even reaching the American limit would produce a smaller modeled change: the outlet estimates it would reduce escalator riding time by about 10%, or approximately 30,000 minutes each weekday. Whether riders would realize such savings depends on the system’s equipment, actual use patterns and any changes Metro might make.
Rules Set the Speed Ceiling
Escalator operators choose operating speeds within limits set by safety codes. The Basin describes two standards common among the cities it reviewed: a European standard that permits 0.75 meters per second on inclines up to 30 degrees, and an American standard that caps speed at about 100 feet per minute. A legal ceiling is not the same as the speed an operator actually uses, which is why the report presented rules and typical operating speeds separately.
The outlet’s operating-speed comparison lists LA alongside New York at about 0.46 meters per second. It lists Hong Kong, London, Singapore and several other cities at 0.75 meters per second, while some systems operate at intermediate speeds. These are reported typical speeds for the cities where data was available, not measurements taken by The Basin across all 139 cities.
The Basin also cautions that faster operation can bring trade-offs. It cites measurements by Singapore transit engineers indicating nearly twice as much step vibration at 0.75 meters per second as at 0.5. Singapore’s escalators, the report says, use the faster setting during rush hour and the slower setting off-peak. The comparison does not establish that the same approach would suit Metro’s stations or equipment.
““We compared their legal limits, which tell us how fast they’re allowed to go, and then looked separately at operating speeds where we could find them.””
— The Basin
Costs and Equipment Limits
The Basin says it does not have a reliable price for raising escalator speeds across the Metro system. Reaching Hong Kong’s typical speed would require addressing both the American code limit and whether existing equipment could accommodate the change. The report does not give a project proposal, cost estimate or Metro commitment to alter operating speeds.
The time-savings model assumes every rider at the 27 underground stations uses an escalator both in and out, stands still while riding, and encounters escalators as deep as the one at Civic Center/Grand Park. It uses Metro’s specified speed throughout. In practice, riders also walk, use stairs or take elevators; transfers affect boarding totals, and the model excludes elevated stations. The Basin also says Union Station’s street-level platforms and line changes at 7th St/Metro Center complicate the ridership figures.
It is also unclear from the report whether Metro’s specified speed reflects operating practice at every station or whether individual escalators run differently. No systemwide speed measurements or equipment-by-equipment assessment are presented, and the report does not establish how a higher speed would affect safety or accessibility for Metro riders.
Metro Changes Remain Unannounced
The report does not describe a planned Metro speed change or a decision by the agency to raise escalator speeds. Any move toward the American maximum would need to account for applicable codes, equipment capability, cost and rider safety. Reaching the faster speeds used in some cities would face the additional question of whether current equipment could support them.
The Basin says safety is a subject for its next escalator report, but provides no publication date in the supplied material. For now, the time savings remain estimates based on the outlet’s stated model, while Metro’s 90-foot-per-minute design specification is the reported basis for the comparison.
Key Questions
How fast does LA Metro specify its escalators to run?
The Basin reports a Metro design specification of 90 feet per minute, about 0.46 meters per second.
How does that compare with Hong Kong?
The report gives a typical Hong Kong MTR station escalator speed of 148 feet per minute, about 0.75 meters per second. That is approximately 64% faster than Metro’s specified speed.
How much time might faster escalators save?
The Basin’s model estimates that matching Hong Kong’s typical speed could save about 119,000 minutes per weekday across 27 underground stations. The estimate relies on assumptions about station depth and rider behavior and is not a measured count.
Could Metro simply increase escalator speeds?
Not necessarily. Operators must follow safety-code limits, and the report says equipment capability would need to be considered. The Basin does not provide a cost estimate or report that Metro plans to make a change.
Source: hn
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