The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART), at the direction of its board of directors, announced Thursday that it will pursue adding 800 passenger seats to its rail-car fleet.

Seating in each two-car train will increase by more than 25 percent, going from 76 to 96 seats, while still retaining room for luggage, bikes and surfboards, according to HART CEO and Executive Director Daniel Grabauskas.

“The public has told us that they would like more seats on the trains and we’ve listened,” Grabauskas said. “The increased seating will be designed to enhance the riding experience and to increase passenger comfort.”

Grabauskas said the cost for the additional seats will be made up by savings incurred from recent cuts to HART’s budget.

“Any cost savings we can yield will be redirected to the design and construction of the rail system,” Grabauskas said. “Oahu’s state-of-the art rail system will be safe, reliable and comfortable. And the addition of seats is part of that overall goal.We need to be flexible and open to making adjustments that are in consumers’ and taxpayers’ best interest - and that’s what we’ve done here.”

The 20-mile rail transit route will run from East Kapolei to Ala Moana Center, with stops at major employment and destination centers, including Aloha Stadium, Pearl Harbor, Honolulu International Airport and Downtown Honolulu near Aloha Tower.Trains will arrive every three minutes at the stations during morning and afternoon rush hours.