Moving sidewalk

A moving sidewalk, moving walkway or travelator is a slow speed conveyor belt to transport people; they can walk along it or stand; it is like a horizontal escalator.

They are often used in airports where there is a long distance to walk between terminals, and in underground stations.

The speed is usually 3 km/h, but there is a high-speed version with a speed of 9 km/h at Gare Montparnasse station in Paris.

An inclined moving sidewalk or moving ramp is used in airports and supermarkets to move people to another floor with the convenience of an elevator (people can take along their suitcase trolley or shopping cart) and the capacity of an escalator. The carts have either a brake that is automatically applied when the cart handle is released, or specially designed wheels that secure the cart within the grooves of the ramp, so that it doesn't roll uncontrollably down the ramp.

External link

• Walkway propels Paris metro into future (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3001182.stm), a BBC article on the high-speed travelator at Gare Montparnasse station in Paris.