We provide full range of pedestrian turnstiles for subway and light rail transit, including flap barriers, panoramic sliding speed gates, swing gates and tripod turnstiles. All units adopt 304 stainless steel structure with power-off emergency release function, compatible with AFC ticketing system, QR code and facial recognition readers. Factory direct supply and customized solutions available for all urban rail projects.
Core Terms: subway turnstile, metro turnstile, transit speed gate, flap barrier, sliding turnstile, swing access gate
Long-tail Terms: subway turnstile manufacturer, high passenger flow metro gate, fire compliant transit barrier, wheelchair wide swing gate, AFC matching turnstile, customized stainless steel access gate
1. What Is a Subway Turnstile & Its Importance for Transit Stations
Subway turnstile is a dedicated pedestrian barrier designed for underground metro and light rail stations. It acts as core matching hardware for AFC automatic fare collection system and solves three major daily operation challenges:
- Standard ticket checking & anti fare evasion: Equipped with multi-group infrared sensors to block tailgating and climbing over the gate.
- Efficient peak passenger flow management: Each single lane allows 30 to 60 people to pass per minute to ease rush-hour congestion.
- Fire safety compliance: Every model comes with auto-opening mechanism when power cuts off to guarantee safe passenger evacuation.
Shenzhen Wankong Technology (WKT) develops and manufactures full-series transit turnstiles. Our product line covers flap gates, panoramic sliding speed gates, swing barriers and wide passage wheelchair gates. All products are sold directly from factory and can be personalized to match different metro project requirements.
Universal Standard Features of All WKT Subway Turnstiles
- Cabinet Material: SUS304 stainless steel, rust-proof and corrosion-resistant for long-term damp underground environment
- Multi-layer metal infrared sensor array, with anti-pinch and reverse entry alarm function
- Power failure emergency release: All barriers fully retract automatically after power loss to meet fire evacuation standards
- Universal access control interface, compatible with IC/ID card, QR code, fingerprint and facial recognition terminals
- Main control board with built-in passage record storage, optional passenger counting module
- Built-in leakage protection switch to adapt complex underground wiring layout of stations
- Silent DC brushless servo motor for stable, smooth and long-time continuous operation
2. Main Types of Subway Turnstiles
2.1 Flap Barrier – Standard Main Entrance Turnstile for Urban Metro
Standard curved flap turnstile for main subway entrances
Compact curved flap gate design
Model Series: WKT-LSYZ, WKT-DXYZ, WKT-HMYZ (Single Motor / Double Motor)
EXW Price Range: $240 – $880
Max Passage Width: ≤580mm
Passenger Capacity: 40 – 55 people per minute
Application Scenarios: Downtown core metro stations, interchange hubs, airport connecting rail transit
Product Highlights: Compact curved cabinet saves station space. Soft PU flaps prevent passenger pinching injury. This is the most widely used turnstile type for global metro systems. Single motor version fits low-traffic branch exits; double motor dual-flap model handles massive rush-hour passenger flow.
2.2 Panoramic Sliding Speed Gate – Premium Turnstile for New Metro Lines
Transparent glass sliding turnstile for high-end metro stations
Sliding gate with customizable ambient LED light strips
Model Series: WKT-CXPYZ, WKT-BJPYZ, WKT-RSSTM
EXW Price Range: $620 – $1180
Max Passage Width: ≤750mm
Passenger Capacity: 35 – 50 people per minute
Application Scenarios: New high-standard metro lines, CBD subway stations, urban light rail
Product Highlights: Transparent tempered glass sliding panels with customizable LED light strips for modern appearance. Extended cabinet delivers better anti-climbing performance than flap barriers. Fully compatible with facial recognition all-in-one terminals for contactless passage. Single motor base model costs $700; heavy-duty double motor model ranges from $950 to $1100.
2.3 Swing Barrier – Wheelchair Accessible Metro Turnstile
Wide swing gate for wheelchair & stroller access
Swing barrier integrated with face scanner
Model Series: WKT-ZQBZ, WKT-RYBZ, WKT-PWBZ
EXW Price Range: $220 – $950
Max Passage Width: Up to 1150mm, suitable for wheelchairs and baby strollers
Passenger Capacity: 40 – 50 people per minute
Application Scenarios: Mandatory accessibility lanes, station emergency exits, suburban branch metro stations
Product Highlights: Extra-wide channel meets international accessibility standards for wheelchairs, strollers and oversized luggage. Two material grades available: economical painted models for small stations, heavy-duty 304 stainless steel models for core interchange hubs.
2.4 Tripod One-Way Gate – Staff Exclusive Access Barrier
3-rod tripod gate for internal staff passage
Narrow body tripod turnstile
Model Series: WKT-HBZ
EXW Price Range: $500 – $750
Max Passage Width: ≤600mm
Application Scenarios: Exclusive staff passages, side entrances of remote branch stations
Product Highlights: Mechanical anti-escape structure supports stable 24-hour unattended operation. Compact narrow cabinet fits narrow station corridors, mainly applied for non-public internal maintenance access.
3. Key Specifications to Confirm Before Purchase
- Power failure auto-opening function: Mandatory configuration to meet metro fire protection codes
- 304 stainless steel cabinet with 1.2–1.5mm thickness, resistant to underground humidity and cleaning chemicals
- At least 4 groups of infrared sensors to avoid false triggering during crowded rush hours
- Standard dry contact relay output for seamless connection with metro AFC back-end system
- Wide operating temperature range: -10°C ~ +60°C, fits both underground tunnels and ground stations
- Optional passenger counting module to collect real-time passenger flow data for operation management
- Customization support: Cabinet size, LED light color, station logo printing available
4. Advantages of Choosing WKT Factory Direct Turnstiles
- Complete full product portfolio covers all gate types needed for different station zones
- Transparent factory EXW price without middleman markup, separate quotations for single & double motors for easy budget planning
- Complete supporting materials including dimension drawings and product renderings for tender documents
- All motors and mainboards pass long-cycle fatigue tests to support 24-hour continuous metro operation
- Natively compatible with all mainstream subway card, QR and facial recognition ticking devices
- Global after-sales service with one-year factory warranty and remote technical support
- OEM & ODM customization available based on customer drawings and site scenes
5. Frequently Asked Questions
Q1 Which turnstile is most popular for main entrances of large city metro stations?
A: Flap barriers are the mainstream choice for large metro hubs, balancing passing efficiency, space occupation and procurement cost compared with sliding speed gates.
Q2 Will turnstiles lock when power cuts off in subway stations?
A: All WKT turnstiles adopt power-off auto retract structure. All barriers fully open after power loss to ensure safe evacuation as required by fire regulations.
Q3 Can swing gates be used as wheelchair access lanes for subway?
A: Yes. Our wide swing gate series provides maximum 1150mm passage width, fully complying with international accessibility standards for wheelchairs.
Can we customize the appearance of subway turnstiles?
A: Full customization is supported. Cabinet size, acrylic panel patterns, ambient light colors and station logos can be adjusted according to your design drafts.
6. Conclusion
Turnstiles are the fundamental access control and fare collection hardware for every modern metro station. Select matching gate models for different functional zones as below:
- Main ticketing hall: Flap Barrier / Panoramic Sliding Speed Gate
- Wheelchair accessibility aisle: Wide Stainless Steel Swing Gate
- Staff maintenance side door: Tripod One-Way Gate
- Low passenger flow light rail stations: Ultra-thin Custom Speed Gate
Shenzhen Wankong Technology supplies factory-direct transit-grade turnstiles with full customized solutions for new metro construction, line expansion and station renovation projects worldwide. Contact our sales team to get complete datasheets, CAD drawings and project-specific EXW quotations.
