Regional high-speed rail services typology, demand and spatial implications

The paper focuses on the role of HSR services in the regional framework and connection between intermediate cities along the line. The purpose is making a contribution in the interesting field of research related with spatial impacts of HSR in the regional networks and cities besides big agglomerations. First, the paper draws a typology of regional high-speed services in Europe, based on relevant factors interesting for analyze the usefulness and possibilities of the HSR for the cities. Specifically it looks at mid-run services in Great Britain, France and Spain and analyses cities along the lines regarding population, station location, type of services, destinies and frequencies as key factors to distinguish between models. Then the paper goes through passenger data to acknowledge how links between these cities are being working and have a better understanding about real collaboration between nodes by looking at the demand and flows in the regional high-speed services. The last part of the research deepens in the air-rail coordination analyzing the relation between modes in the European cases where a HSR station is available in an airport: Lyon-Saint Exupéry, Paris-Charles de Gaule and Frankfurt-Airrail Center. The aim is also introduce the Spanish paradigmatic case of the Ciudad Real-Central Airport, which is the first country's private airport and its creation probably responds to the HSR network proximity and the direct link to a newly created station. The paper wants to reflect on the role of the HSR in regional cities and the increasing importance of this infrastructure in these areas trying to learn about similarities and differences and introducing the increasing complexity of transport networks.