Catchment areas of high-speed rail stations: a model based on spatial analysis using ridership surveys

Abstract

This paper focuses on the spatial influence of High-Speed Rail stations, based on the notion of catchment area. Given the features of High-Speed Rail, its operations can and must serve a role beyond the station and the city in which it is located. Using a spatial systemic approach, this paper proposes a method to analyse the factors that may affect the size and shape of the catchment areas according to the relationship between distance and ridership. This study employs data from surveys of six stations of the Spanish high-speed rail system to apply the model and demonstrates that the context is crucial for regional use. The outcome also proves that other relevant factors should be considered in addition to the network to extend the use of highspeed services and increase its profits, which is a potential approach for future research.