Socioeconomic Impacts of high-speed rail: A bibliometric analysis

Abstract

High-speed rail (HSR), as an efficient and environmentally sustainable mode of transportation mode, has received increasing attention in many countries over the past decades. While the literature on HSR's technology development and the assessment of the socioeconomic impact of the system has increased substantially in recent years, it remains unclear how the understanding of the socioeconomic impact system has evolved, and what the characteristics of various research focuses are. The objective of this study is to provide a comprehensive examination of the evolution of the high-speed rail literature, with a focus on socioeconomic impact analysis. Specifically, the following research questions are addressed: what is the global trend of scientific publication on the socioeconomic impact analysis of HSR? What specific focuses are uncovered from this trend? And what are the future directions of research in this field? A thorough understanding of the literature helps scholars better identify the research gaps, needs and directions for future research endeavors. In addition, it may also facilitate the decision-making for future investment in HSR through a better understanding of the potential impacts of the system.