Spatial Impacts of High-Speed Railways in China: A Total-Travel-Time Approach

In China the development of high-speed rail (HSR) is a national strategy for stimulating economic growth. Major decisions, such as determining which cities to connect and deciding the locations of stations, are made through a state-led planning process. Consequently, HSR stations are often located in urban edges. The connections of these stations with local transport infrastructure and services vary significantly. Passengers need to spend extra time to reach these stations before they can use the HSR. This paper examines the time savings due to the improved intercity connections brought by HSR. It goes on to investigate the user friendliness of HSR by measuring the total door-to-door travel time and accessibility. On the basis of data gathered from questionnaire surveys and from total travel time estimations, it is argued that the poor accessibility of HSR stations hinders the effectiveness of the HSR system.