High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! A Side platform is a platform positioned to the side of a pair of tracks at a railway station, a tram stop or a transitway. A pair of side platforms are often provided on a dual track line with a single side platform being sufficient for a single track line. An alternative arrangement is to use an island platform where a single platform is sandwiched between a pair of tracks which divide to accommodate the platform. Side platforms may result in a wider overall footprint for the station compared to an island platform where a single width of platform can be `shared` by both tracks.