Travel satisfaction and rail accessibility

Abstract Rail stations located in residential environments provide significant amenities to the travel-related satisfaction of residents. Using an individual survey conducted in Beijing in 2013, this paper applies multilevel models to explore the association between travel satisfaction and rail accessibility, controlling for residential self-selection, socio-demographics, and neighborhood characteristics. We differentiate between station adjacent and non-adjacent residential locations to reveal non-linear association over space. We consider the effect of rail accessibility changes on travel satisfaction. The results suggest that rail accessibility improvements generate significant impacts on residents’ satisfaction with commuting convenience. The findings suggest the important role of the spatial placement of rail transit infrastructure on people’s subjective wellbeing with travel.