Disparities in high-speed rail accessibility in the Yangtze River Delta, China: A door-to-door travel time perspective

The rapid expansion of China's high-speed rail (HSR) network has substantially reduced intercity travel time. However, few studies have examined door-to-door HSR accessibility and disparities for different parts of HSR journeys within major metropolitan areas. Using train timetables and intracity transport data, this study analyzes the disparities in HSR accessibility in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD). HSR accessibility patterns for cities of different levels are further analyzed for passengers using private or public transportation to connect with HSR stations. These findings highlight disparities in HSR accessibility across cities. Time spent on intracity travel constitutes a significant portion of the entire journey and it accounts for up to half of the total travel time when using public transportation. Cities of a higher administrative level tend to have a relatively larger percentage of their total travel time on intracity travel, which diminishes the overall efficiency of intercity HSR services. In county-level cities, substantial inequality in private and public transport connections is found. This study underlines the significance of inner-city transport connections to HSR stations and the provision of public transport services. It also enriches HSR accessibility studies by considering diverse components of door-to-door travel.