It is common knowledge that transport infrastructures are a crucial element in the growth of a territory, both economically and territorially. Indeed, they affect connectivity and territorial cohesion. Consequently the concept of cross-border transport is now considered a fundamental element for the development of certain areas, such as the area of Friuli Venezia Giulia. Within this context, factors such as connectivity, accessibility and mobility are considered useful in promoting the exchange of goods and passengers between different nations. The analysis carried out in this research aims to analyze the spatial dynamics involving the different transport infrastructures (road, rail, port and airport) of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region. This region was chosen due to the fact that Trieste, one of its cities, is a pivotal hub for logistics and transport networks that connect Central Europe, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. With reference to the exchange and transportation of goods, the port of Trieste plays a central role due to its great ability to unite different modes of transportation, allowing efficient intermodal handling. From the passenger point of view, it has excellent cross-border rail and road infrastructures, together with local transport infrastructure, which facilitates the movement not only of cross-border tourists but also of workers and residents. Despite this, managing the different regulations in force remains a challenge, which involves the need to invest in infrastructure and integrate transportation systems in a circular perspective.
For this reason, the present work analyses the feasibility of innovative solutions to increase accessibility and mobility within the study area. To carry out this analysis, geographic information tools and quantitative models will be implemented in order to understand how infrastructure quality affects these factors.
The analysis will be carried out through a multiscalar approach and in the adoption of a holistic and dynamic vision of the territory. Indeed, combining these tools will allow us to draw a detailed picture of the relationship between territorial development, infrastructure, and the circular economy.

Regional integration policies profoundly influence the lifestyles and cultural perceptions of border-area residents while reshaping regional development through their effects on cross-border mobility and spatial interactions. In the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), the integration of Shenzhen and Hong Kong—two regions within the same country but governed by different political systems—has garnered significant attention. However, challenges such as policy coordination, cultural differences, and disparities in urban services highlight the need to evaluate the spatial satisfaction of residents. Existing research lacks systematic analyses of how integration policies affect cross-border spatial sentiments due to difficulties in collecting long-term emotional data and conducting multidimensional analysis. This study addresses these gaps by utilizing mobile signaling data and social media data, combined with large language models (LLMs), to identify Shenzhen-Hong Kong residents and evaluate their spatial satisfaction sentiments in cross-border areas. A novel causal inference framework integrating LLMs and interrupted time-series models assesses the causal effects of Shenzhen-Hong Kong integration policies on Hong Kong residents' spatial satisfaction in Shenzhen from 2018 to 2023, exploring heterogeneity across spatial types.

The findings reveal significant variations in short- and long-term policy effects across different spatial types. Transportation infrastructure policies, such as the operation of the West Kowloon High-Speed Rail Station, directly improved border space accessibility, significantly enhancing short-term satisfaction in checkpoint areas. Development planning policies generally produced sustained positive impacts, with the Outline Development Plan for the GBA yielding immediate benefits in border checkpoint and socio-cultural spaces. Notably, the five policies analyzed exhibited spatial heterogeneity, aiding in pinpointing target implementation areas and identifying overlooked "gray" spaces. This study provides an effective framework for measuring the complex causal effects of integration policies, enriching empirical research on cross-border spatial sentiments and policy evaluation. The findings offer actionable insights for advancing regional integration initiatives in the GBA and similar contexts, supporting more precise and impactful policy design and implementation.

This study focuses on the motivation for cross-border mobility among inhabitants of mainly border regions. The principal objective is to identify the key factors that motivate residents towards cross-border mobility and whether there is a deviation from the perceived motivation to travel abroad compared to natural travel flows. The distance, border nature, municipality size, and purpose for cross-border mobility were successively analysed in our research. The research is based on a survey involving 668 municipalities, of which 230 (34%) lie in border regions, defined as an area within 30 kilometres of a national border, and 438 (66%) lie in the inland areas. This sample represents more than one-tenth of Czech municipalities. The results show that proximity to the national border and the neighbour’s economic strength were essential factors that created the preconditions for cross-border mobility. An important finding confirmed the relationship between proximity to the national border and commuting for work and services. Commuting to schools and for education was identified as a critical weakness. Furthermore, respondents living in borderland areas tended to overestimate their cross-border mobility on average by one-third over actual cross-border mobility flows, while respondents in inland areas tended to underestimate their cross-border mobility.

Czechia, with its key location, is part of the Baltic–Adriatic Corridor (Poland–Czechia/Slovakia–Austria–Italy), the Orient/East–Med Corridor (Germany–Czechia–Austria/Slovakia–Hungary–Romania–Bulgaria–Greece–Cyprus), and the Rhine–Danube Corridor (Germany–Austria/Czechia–Slovakia–Hungary–Romania). Central European space with a dense concentration of European capitals has excellent potential to develop a highly used HSR network and to substitute short and medium-haul flights. The focused region is delimited from the perspective of the Czech Republic. The possibility of traveling from one of three Czech metropolises - Prague, Brno, and Ostrava - to the final metropolis by direct train must exist.

One train change in the Czech metropolis is allowed despite the region delimitation by direct trains. Origin-destination metropolise pairs are so defined in "Czechocentric" Central Europe. The quality of the current rail network, HSR network change, and flight connection in the region are compared. The contribution has the specific aim of a one-day international business trip. It presents the actual cross-border business train connection market and the possibility of carrying out the trip, avoiding the need to stay overnight. The quantitative approach collects attributes such as the number of connections, travel time, and ticket cost. The available time for business talks in the destination is counted for train and plane connections.

The novelty and contribution of the research consist of accomplishing a field survey in trains on the territory of Czechia. The survey aims to gather information on the behavior of cross-border travelers. The interest lies in the number of business trips, the necessary time for business in destination, travel planning, or the willingness to stay overnight.
The synthesis of both types of research brings insight into the potential importance of Czech metropolises in the HSR network, passenger travel behavior change, and new business talk opportunities.