Special Issue on New Frontiers in Accessibility Modelling: The Effect of Access Time on Modal Competition for Interurban Trips: The Case of the Madrid-Barcelona Corridor in Spain

This paper analyses the effect of access and egress time to train stations and airports on modal competition in the Madrid-Barcelona corridor, (Spain), where a new high speed train started to operate in the year 2008. The analysis is based on the estimation of a Nested Logit model that uses a mixed revealed/stated preference data set that provides information on travellers' behaviour in the available modes. We obtained the value of the different components of the travel time, as well as the willingness to pay for other service attributes. We then analysed demand response to different policies that consider variation in access time to train stations and airports and other attributes. The results highlight the important role that access time to terminals may play in terms of modal competition between rail and plane for interurban travel passengers.