The change of commuting behaviour with planned high-speed railways in Czechia

Abstract

Abstract This paper is focused on high-speed railway planning and its general aim is to assess potential commuting behaviour change on the example of planned high-speed railway in Czechia. We used standard geographical methods based on census data from 2011 in relevant ten regional centres and two important railway junctions that will be connected to high-speed railway according to planned network. The rest of three regional centres not planned to be connected to high-speed railway are disregarded. We assessed the attractiveness of relevant centre for commuter mobility change. The results document the strategic position of Prague as the main commuting centre, which relevant indicators significantly exceed all other labour mobility centres (the second most crucial centre Brno is about half the important one). This fact was confirmed by analyzing gradient labour areas and evaluating commuting relations among relevant centres. The assessment of potential impacts of HSR on labour markets is then carried out using the model of the marginal rate of labour mobility, where it is possible to count on positive impacts except for Prague on two other commuter centres, Brno and Pilsen. In the case of other analyzed centres, we can count on increasing the potential of a trip for work to the centres mentioned above.