Understanding the relation between distance and train station choice behavior of cyclists in the western region of the Netherlands

Abstract

Abstract With 35,000 km of bicycle pathways, cycling is common among persons of all ages less than 65 years in the Netherlands. Bicycle is often seen as a standalone travel mode but when integrated as part of a multimodal trip with train, it can be an important solution for long distance journeys, offering more flexibility and faster access time than other travel modes to a railway station. In this paper we investigate which factors influence departure train station choice on combined bicycle-train trips in the western region of the Netherlands. We explore the effects of an individual’s socio-economic characteristics, their multi-modal trip attributes, as well as neighborhood characteristics and station attributes. Observations from the Dutch National Travel Survey over the years 2015-2017 are considered for analysis where bicycle is used as either an access or egress mode. A multinomial logit model is estimated in which the choice set of an individual is determined by the stations in the proximity. Results show that stations as far as the fourth closest station are considered as a relevant option for an individual. Additionally, station type and neighborhood characteristics were among the most significant contributors to station choice in the western region of the Netherlands