Rail Station Areas Research Articles

IPA Analysis and optimization of pedestrian environment at railway stations in Guangdong-Hong Kong and Macao: An example of six typical stations

Due to the increasing urbanization and growing regional integration, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is progressively transforming into a globally recognized metropolitan cluster. Rail transit is an effective and eco-friendly kind of public transport that plays a crucial role in fostering regional economic connections and facilitating people's movement. It has become the primary option for inhabitants when it comes to travelling. This study examines the influence of the walking environment's quality on passenger travel experience (the overall satisfaction and comfort felt by passengers when walking in a rail station area), station attractiveness (the degree of attractiveness of a rail station to passengers, which is usually determined by a combination of a number of factors, such as accessibility, safety, and interest of the station area) , and the overall livability of the city (the overall quality of life that a rail station area provides to Residents, including the quality of the environment, infrastructure, public services) . It does so by analyzing the walking environments of six representative rail transit stations in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, using the Walking Demand Hierarchy Theory as a basis. The study employed the IPA model to evaluate 20 crucial characteristics of the pedestrian environment. The findings revealed variations in the performance of different stations with regard to accessibility, safety, identification, functionality, and enjoyment. The differences provide a reference point for further optimizing the pedestrian environment in the Greater Bay Area rail station areas.

What affected the vitality of high-speed rail station areas? A case study of Chengdu-Chongqing urban agglomeration, China

What affected the vitality of high-speed rail station areas? A case study of Chengdu-Chongqing urban agglomeration, China

Design and Research on Humanized Innovative Design of Pedestrian Space in Rail Transit

Walking is the main mode of transportation used by people to take rail transit, and it is also the link between rail transit and other kinds of transportation. Ensuring the convenience, comfort and safety of walking in the rail station area is not only an effective way to realize the functional integration of the station, but also the key to promoting green travel and ensuring the sustainable development of the city. This paper studied the walking environment by literature review. This paper summarizes the differences of various walking environments, and finally puts forward suggestions on the improvement of walking environment in urban rail stations.

Rent growth near rail stations after the Great Recession

This study provides an incisive analysis of U.S. rail station area rent trends from 2012 to 2016, post-Great Recession. Utilizing Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), Hierarchical Spatial Autoregressive (HSAR), and Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) models, it uncovers complex interplays between rent changes and socioeconomic, as well as built environment factors. Key findings reveal that increased rents are associated with walkability, higher housing density, and predominantly White neighborhoods. Conversely, rent decreases correlate with diverse land use, higher Black population percentages, and locations further from rail stations or business districts. These results are critical for understanding rent dynamics in transit-oriented development areas, impacting diverse housing market sectors, including workforce and affordable housing. The study’s regional analysis highlights the need for geographically tailored approaches. This research informs policy on housing development and affordability, aiming to mitigate displacement risks for low-income, transit-dependent communities in gentrifying urban areas.

A comparative study on walking accessibility of high-speed railway station areas in China and Japan based on analytic hierarchy process -- Beijing station and Osaka station as examples

ABSTRACT To capture the factors influencing and measurements of pedestrian accessibility to high-speed rail station areas, ensure the balance between the transportation function and place performance of high-speed railway station areas, the correlation factors and laws of pedestrian space characteristics of high-speed railway station areas under different development modes are studied through the comparison of typical high-speed railway station areas in China and Japan. Combining the circle law and hierarchical analysis method, we establish a walking accessibility index system, construct a walking accessibility evaluation model for the high-speed rail station area, measure the degree of walking accessibility in the high-speed rail station area, and analyze the influence mechanism of different walking space components on the walking accessibility of the high-speed rail station area circle. The results indicate that: 1) Osaka Station space is much more walkable than Beijing Station in all circles; 2) The spatial development within the Beijing Station Station Circle is uneven, and the degree of pedestrian accessibility decreases as the circle’s extent increases; 3)Different station spaces have their own advantages and disadvantages in terms of the distribution of public facilities and amenities, roadway attributes, pedestrian path characteristics, depending on their respective national conditions and station development patterns.

How to Measure the Impact of Walking Accessibility of Suburban Rail Station Catchment Areas on the Commercial Premium Benefits of Joint Development

As the primary solution to the issue of high passenger traffic in urban areas, rail transit has a significant impact on the structural form of cities and regional development. Additionally, it has varying degrees of a premium effect on land value around stations. Current research on the factors influencing the premium effect of rail transit station areas mainly focuses on the macro level of the station area circle, with more attention given to the premium caused by distance and functional differences. Most research objects are typically urban center lines or stations. However, this study focuses on the core area of the station and concentrates on the impact of the construction of integrated station–city facilities on the choice of pedestrian routes and the enhancement of pedestrian accessibility. It also explores whether this enhancement is associated with the premium benefits of ancillary commercial development. To achieve this goal, this paper integrates models from several related studies to conduct a comprehensive assessment. Firstly, it uses a spatial panel econometric model to improve the classical characteristic price method model. It then combines the ideas and models of the cost–benefit analysis method, taking the Odakyu Odawara Line of the Japanese suburban railroad as an example. This analysis explores the mechanism and factors influencing the rent premium of commercial facilities in the suburban rail station area and systematically assesses the combined station–city facilities. The study evaluates the social benefits (enhanced walkability) and economic value (premium value added from commercial facilities) of the combined station–city facilities systematically. The results of the study show that (1) the premium benefits of suburban railroad station area commercial facilities are significantly related to the type of station–city combination facilities, combination mode, and walking time and weakly related to the location factor. Additionally, (2) the results of the cost–benefit valuation analysis based on the Ebina Station verify that a reasonable design of station–city combination facilities can effectively enhance the proximity of commercial facilities to the station and improve the walking accessibility, thus promoting the premium benefits. The study demonstrates that a reasonable design of the combined station and city facilities can effectively enhance the proximity of commercial facilities to the station and improve pedestrian accessibility, promoting premium benefits, which can quickly feed the construction cost of the station and achieve positive revenue in the short term. Therefore, the results of the study provide a quantitative reference for the planning and design of suburban stations.

Industrial Spatio-Temporal Distribution of High-Speed Rail Station Area from the Accommodation Facilities Perspective: A Multi-City Comparison

As a new engine of urban development, the high-speed rail (HSR) station area is an emerging location where the service industry is concentrated. This study aims to reflect the development of accommodation facilities in transport hub areas through the spatial distribution and agglomeration characteristics of the lodging industry in HSR station areas. HSR stations in Beijing, Tianjin, Nanjing, Jinan, Kunshan, and Xuzhou are selected. The Geodetector model is applied to analyze the pertinent driving factors. The findings indicate that: (1) The smaller the population size of the city, the closer the high agglomeration area of the accommodation industry in the HSR station area is to the HSR station. (2) The longer the HSR station is open, the stronger the agglomeration intensity of the accommodation industry is. (3) At HSR stations in various cities, the driving factors affecting the accommodation industry are heterogeneous. The interaction between the factors has a synergistic enhancement effect.

Assessing urban vitality and its determinants in high-speed rail station areas in the Yangtze River Delta, China

Unlike most city centers in countries that pioneer European high-speed rail (HSR) lines, HSR stations in China have mainly been developed in suburban areas. The rationale for peripherally located HSR stations is due to development costs and intentions to speed up urbanization and develop new suburbs. However, it remains unknown whether the HSR-led urban development policy is effective as intended, despite the rise of HSR area suburbs. Taking the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) as an example, this study assesses HSR station area urban vitality (SAUV). It constructs an indicator system comprised of concentration, accessibility, liveability, and diversity of physical facilities and socioeconomic activities. It compares the rank-size distribution of urban vitality in different station types: conventional rail (CR), upgraded-HSR, and newly built HSR stations. The spatial differentiation and influence factors of SAUV in the YRD are further examined among cities and provinces of different station types and HSR lines. The results show that station areas with high urban vitality are mainly distributed along major economic corridors. Only a few newly built HSR stations could attract vibrant urban activities. More vibrant economic activities could be clustered in HSR station areas in provincial-level cities and along the Shanghai-Nanjing HSR line. Although the SAUV value is strongly associated with local socioeconomic contexts, it is significantly influenced by the administrative rank of cities, station-city transit connectivity, and frequency of train services. This study suggests that integrating multilevel spatial planning with vitality-led urban development is necessary for the sustainability of the HSR economy.

Evaluation of Land-Use Layout of the Rail Station Area Based on the Difference in Noise Sensitivity to Rail Transit, Taking a Suburb of Tokyo as an Example

Rail transit has been deemed a sustainable means of transportation, but its agglomeration effect and the noise therefrom create conflict. Generally, such conflict can be solved by designing the architecture and facilities of rail transit using noise-reduction methods. However, relevant studies have pointed out the limitations of such methods from the perspective of enforceability and social justice. Specifically, extensive monitoring of noise is difficult, and the cost of noise reduction is mostly borne by the surrounding residents. Thus, another question has been raised: Can we apply a land-use layout that takes into account the difference in sensitivity to rail noise of different types of land so as to weaken the negative impact of rail noise? In this paper, we adopted various methods of the characteristic price method, progressive multivariate regression analysis method and noise simulation method, and adopted the suburban rail transit system in Japan as the research object to analyze the impact of rail noise on the price of residential land within 200 m of the rail line. Additionally, we investigated the impact of the accessibility to the station site on the price of commercial and residential land within 800 m of the rail line. We also established the evaluation model on this basis. Lastly, we conducted a further discussion on the evaluation model by studying the re-development project of Tokyo’s Futako Tamagawa Station. The major conclusions in this paper are the following: rail noise is negatively related to the price of residential land within 200 m of the rail line; the price of commercial land within 800 m of the station site is negatively related to the station’s accessibility; and the price of residential land is unrelated to the station’s accessibility. According to the results of the analysis of Tokyo’s Futako Tamagawa Station, designing and arranging commercial land that is insensitive to rail noise in the area surrounding the rail line and using commercial buildings as a shield for the residential land behind them will be beneficial for weakening the negative impact of noise and maximizing the use of the commercial value generated by the station’s accessibility.

Evaluation of TOD rail station connection design based on analytic hierarchy process and cloud model

It is necessary to carry out an integrated connection design for the rail station area to promote the development of the transit-oriented development (TOD) mode. There is lack of an evaluation index system that comprehensively considers the characteristics of TOD. Based on the characteristics of TOD mode and passenger transfer satisfaction, we propose an evaluation index system for the design of the connections between TOD rail stations and each of the three transportation modes including pedestrians, conventional buses and non-motorized vehicles, respectively. We formulate the grading standards for quantitative and qualitative indicators through literature research and questionnaire survey, respectively. In order to obtain relatively objective and comprehensive evaluation results, we propose an evaluation method combining analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and cloud model, which is superior to single evaluation methods. Finally, Nanjing Xinjiekou rail station is selected as a case for the application of indexes and the evaluation method. The evaluation results about the connection levels of the three transportation modes are medium, good, and medium, which basically conform to the characteristics of central commercial stations.

How Does the Spatial Structure of High-Speed Rail Station Areas Evolve? A Case Study of Zhengzhou East Railway Station, China

The rapid development of high-speed rail (HSR) and station areas has shortened the spatial and temporal distances among cities, improved the accessibility of cities, and affected the spatial agglomeration and diffusion of populations and of social and economic activities. This has led to spatial reconfiguration of production factors within cities, which has the potential to drive the reconstruction of urban spatial structures. Based on POI and land-use data, this paper defines the spatial scope of the HSR station area and explores the characteristics and influencing factors of its spatial structure from the perspective of industry. The study area i is set at 2000 m. Since the opening of the HSR, the industrial distribution has exhibited a significant circular, multi-core, and axial belt spatial structure. The spatial structure of each sub-industry is different. On the whole, internal and external transport and agglomeration economies have significant impacts on the industrial spatial distribution, and land rent has gradually decreased in importance with the development of HSR station areas. The intensity of the effects of different factors varies among different industries. The mechanisms by which the spatial structure of the station area is formed are discussed and include location accessibility, micro-market factors, node station attributes, the availability of a sufficient amount of undeveloped land, the characteristics and needs of HSR passengers, and policies and systems.

Place quality in high-speed rail station areas: Concept definition

High-speed railway (HSR) station areas are expected to benefit urban environments, not simply as transportation or economic hubs but also as urban places contributing to living quality. However, the relationship between HSR and place quality has not received systematic attention, despite the evolution of urban planning paradigms toward a clearer focus on quality of life. We have reviewed 44 academic articles written between 1996 and 2019 and analyzed concepts of place quality spanning the disciplines of urban design, urban planning, and urban economics. We identified three dimensions commonly associated with quality of place: a spatial dimension associated with aesthetic qualities of urban spaces; a socio-cultural dimension associated with experienced “sense of place”; and an economic dimension associated with the agglomeration of economic activities. Then we worked out these three dimensions in the context of HSR station areas and attributed features accordingly. We concluded that the economic dimension far outweighs the others in academic debates, with dominant theories being primarily concerned with land use, accessibility, and economic performance. Studies from the urban design field have tackled the spatial elements of place quality and showed a strong correlation with economic dimension. However, the literature remains insufficiently developed when it comes to addressing user experience and “sense of place.”

Probability -based typology for description of built environments around urban rail stations

Urban rail transit has been commonly regarded as an efficient transportation mode for alleviating the negative impacts of rapid urbanization. However, the complex and comprehensive built environment caused by rapid urbanization prevents policymakers and planners from understanding the performance of urban rail transit, particularly around transit stations. Developing station area typologies plays an important role in describing the characteristics of station areas. Numerous studies have developed typologies of station areas over the past decades; however, few have attempted to estimate the distribution of station types per station. To fill this gap, this paper first proposed the importance of a land use type (ILUT) index based on the term frequency-inverse document frequency method. This method avoids mutual concealment among land use types, to extract key built environment features based on built area datasets of the buffer areas of 337 selected urban rail stations in Beijing. Subsequently, the ILUT index was used to estimate the distribution of the station types per station using the latent Dirichlet allocation model. The 12 identified types of urban rail station areas in Beijing demonstrated that land use types consist of station types and presented the distribution of the station types with their probabilities, revealing the current performance of station areas. This paper proposes a description approach that will help policymakers and planners to effectively and efficiently identify and analyze built environment features.

Measuring the built environment of green transit-oriented development: A factor-cluster analysis of rail station areas in Singapore

Green transit-oriented development (TOD) is an evolution of the TOD theory, influenced by sustainable development and green urbanism. This advancement expands the environmental and ecological dimensions of conventional TOD. However, relevant research has only just started, particularly in combination with high-density cities in Asia. This study measures the built environment of Green TOD and identifies the key factors and characteristics of the Green TOD built environment. An evaluation method for the Green TOD built environment is developed on the basis of the 5D (density, diversity, design, destination, and distance) built environment framework and combined with green urbanism theories. Data from 23 rail station areas in Singapore were collected and analyzed using factor and cluster analysis. Five factors, namely, neighborhood spatial form factor, facility completeness factor, open space factor, high-density mixed land-use factor, and walking amenity factor, are extracted. Twenty-three station areas are classified into five clusters. The characteristics and optimization strategies of each cluster are analyzed on the basis of the statistical and graphical analyses. This research displays the characteristics and typology of the Green TOD built environment in an empirical way and offers a foundation for further research in diverse urban contexts.

Transit oriented development and retail: Is variation in success explained by a gap between theory and practice?

Central to the concept of Transit Oriented Development (TOD) is a retail core situated around stations. However, successful retail near light rail transit stations has been elusive. Despite significant implications for land use, transportation, and economic development planning, little research exists to explain the gap between TOD concept and reality. We hypothesize that the density, diversity, and design characteristics central to the theory of TODs drive retail success. We implement a TOD Index proposed in the literature to score 474 light rail station areas in 11 metropolitan areas according to the presence and magnitude of those density, diversity, and design characteristics. A series of robustly-developed multilevel models support our hypothesis: TOD Index scores significantly predict station area retail employment, ceteris paribus. An evaluation of its subcomponents individually (block size, which relates to walkability; land use mix; and activity density) suggests activity density may be the driving force in this relationship. Our research works to move the conversation away from an assumption that transit stations and retail naturally co-exist and toward more intentional station area design choices demonstrated to drive retail employment.

Developing metro-based accessibility: Three aspects of China’s Rail+Property practice

Populous Chinese cities have invested heavily in metro systems and planned proactively for transit-oriented development. Rail plus property (R+P) programs, where metro corporations engage in, and even orchestrate real estate development in or around rail station areas, have been recurrently reported among these cities. However, careful assessment of these programs is still rare in the existing literature. Built upon multiple R+P programs led by Shenzhen Metro Cooperation and/or Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway Cooperation, this article fathoms the rationale for R+P programs in Mainland China, the obstacles for oversea private investors’ participation and the balance between profit making and social goods supply. It finds that R+P programs serve as alternative funding sources for expensive metro projects. It decreases municipal governments’ cash flow contribution to those projects, which is mandated by the central government. In addition, local business environment for R+P projects has disadvantaged private sector participation, especially those private investors from overseas. Furthermore, public subsidy to local metro corporations is likely to persist as R+P programs have not been designed for economic value maximization; rather, they are in place because (1) they reduce the cash flow burden of the municipal government; (2) they are tasked by the municipal government to produce a considerable number of affordable public housing.

Assessing spatial planning strategy in high-speed rail station areas in Spain (1992–2018): towards a sustainable model

ABSTRACTThe expansion of new national high-speed rail (HSR) networks, together with the emergence of a new urban paradigm, requires a reflection on previous experience, enabling the definition of better policy proposals for station-area planning. The HSR network in Spain offers one of the world’s longest trajectories but in order to draw lessons from previous experience an appropriate analytical framework must be established, fulfilling at least three conditions: (a) inclusion of cases from different periods -verifying an evolution or a constant pattern-; (b) basis in quantifiable parameters specific to HSR areas -allowing comparison among cases- and (c) coherence with contemporary planning criteria. With these three premises in mind, this paper builds a methodological framework analyzing parameters related to density, compactness, diversity of uses, public space, centrality and the barrier effect, extracted from the comparative analysis of 12 approved Station-area Plans. The results show a common pattern that reveals a mixed urban model which combines compactness with the creation of large open spaces; as well as a progressive minimization of the barrier effect over the last 25 years. The verification of these results reinforces some hypotheses of the literature, but also introduces new criteria for incorporation into policy proposals for HSR stations.

삼중차분 회귀모형을 활용한 도시철도 역세권 토지이용 변화에 미치는 영향분석 : 대전시 도시철도 1호선 개통 후 10년을 중심으로

삼중차분 회귀모형을 활용한 도시철도 역세권 토지이용 변화에 미치는 영향분석 : 대전시 도시철도 1호선 개통 후 10년을 중심으로

고속철도역 인접성을 고려한 역 주변 산업별 사회경제적 공간구조에 대한 관측

고속철도역 인접성을 고려한 역 주변 산업별 사회경제적 공간구조에 대한 관측

경전철 건설 사업단계 및 역세권 특성이 주변지역 아파트 매매가격에 미치는 영향에 관한 연구 : 우이-신설 경전철을 중심으로

This study analyzes the impact of the Ui-Sinseol Light Rail construction on the sales prices of apartments surrounding light rail stations. Two issues are empirically examined; price effects of light rail construction stages, and the effect of characteristics of light rail station areas on apartment sales prices. Estimation results revealed that the price effect was the highest, when the light rail investment project was officially approved, and the ground-breaking event was held. This construction stage considers the light rail construction as a fait accompli., thereby substantially reducing uncertainty involved in the future construction process. Conversely, the increase in the sales prices of apartments at the final stage of construction, that is opening of a light rail, was not high because much of the price premium was already reflected, during prior construction stages. Regarding the price effects of the characteristics of a light rail station area, it was revealed that the higher the development volume of a station area, sales prices of apartments surrounding the station were higher. It was also revealed that the more a station area was developed for non-residential use, sales prices of apartments were additionally higher. This finding implies that while external costs and external benefits are associated with the development of a station area for the non-residential use, external benefits outweighed external costs in the case of the Ui-Sinseol Light Rail station areas.