High-speed rail services for elderly passengers: Ticket-booking patterns and policy implications

Abstract

Mobility is important for the well-being of the elderly, as it enables them to maintain social connections and enjoy a good quality of life. High-speed rail (HSR) is an important transportation mode in China, and considering China's aging population, HSR operators must offer convenient services to elderly people to enhance their mobility. This study analyzed HSR ticket-booking records to examine the ticket-booking patterns of elderly passengers in two China delta regions (the Pearl River Delta and the Yangtze River Delta). The results show that male and female younger elderly passengers (i.e., those aged 60–69) differed in their HSR travel preferences (e.g., seat type and booking day), whereas these inter-gender differences were less significant among elderly passengers aged 70 and over. Furthermore, compared with the younger passengers (whose ages were less than 60 years), elderly passengers tended to avoid night trips and were more likely to travel with companions. However, the positive effects of group support were often hindered by ticket-selling limitations that prevented elderly passengers from sitting together. The findings indicate that elderly people in the two regions experience barriers to HSR travel, and we provide suggestions to improve their HSR travel mobility.