Transfer Towards European Train Travel

Abstract

In response to pressing climate issues, Europe is transitioning towards more sustainable transportation. Despite the potential environmental benefits, train travel often loses out to other modes of transportation in long-distance journeys (300+ km). Based on previous research, transfers seem to have a great impact on the attractiveness of train journeys. This study investigates the effects of different transfer attributes on travel choice behaviour in long-distance leisure trips. Through a combination of a literature review and focus groups, key attributes influencing travellers' itinerary choices were identified and incorporated in a stated choice experiment. The experiment, involving 431 respondents, used a Latent Class Choice Model (LCCM) to analyze preferences and willingness to pay for improvements in transfer attributes. The study finds that travel cost and travel time are of the most importance. The number of transfers and transfer time are less critical but still impactful. The service level has a small impact. When the transfer occurs in the journey is insignificant. Four distinct classes of travellers were identified: Time-Valuing Eco-Advocates (44\%), Cost-Sensitive Train Travellers (25\%), Train Dislikers (18\%), and Transfer-Averse Train Sceptics (13\%). The results indicate that reducing travel costs and time should be prioritized over improving transfers to maximize the attractiveness of train travel. However, optimizing transfer time and minimizing the number of transfers will still enhance the appeal for specific traveller classes. By analysing the results, it was found that although direct train services are generally preferred, well-designed transfer options can improve market potential. This does however require significant improvements in the European railway network design and regulations.