FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE SUCCESS OF HSR STATIONS

Frank Hanna, Jeremy Kaufmann

Abstract: High-Speed Rail (HSR) is an intermodal transport option on a passengers journey with nodal point-to-point connections to stations. This makes the station an important factor in determining the success of HSR. With networks that are proposed, being constructed, and currently operating in Europe, Asia, and North America it is important that the stations are built to the highest quality standards. This paper is a comparative study of the proposed high-speed train stations in the United States and those already operating overseas. This will help to ensure that the proposed stations are going to meet the needs of passengers and therefore be successful. Factors of analysis include the location, size, accessibility, and serviceability of the stations. It is determined that the stations analyzed in Europe and Asia are having great success, located in the midst of densely populated cities, built of adequate size to handle passenger flows, accessible by the majority, and providing services that meet the needs of the customers. However, along the proposed network in the United States, these factors should be considered prior to construction as they may not currently be planning them all to be of the same quality.

Keywords: HSR stations; station location; station size; accessibility; intermodality; serviceability

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15623/ijret.2014.0306001