Conference Agenda

Transport problems are among the biggest challenges facing the largest cities in Central and Eastern Europe. Most public transport systems in these cities lack metro systems and rely primarily on less efficient tram and bus networks. However, they often possess well-developed rail infrastructure, which, if effectively utilized within the city's administrative boundaries, offers an opportunity to mitigate the negative effects of traffic problems. Examples from Western Europe demonstrate that rail transport can significantly improve the efficiency of urban transport systems, particularly for trips from peripheral to central areas. This model of transport organization remains relatively under-explored in the literature, with a notable lack of reference points regarding methodologies for evaluating the potential use of regional rail within city administrative boundaries.

The purpose of this presentation is to explore the potential of using rail transport for intra-urban commuting in various parts of Central and Eastern Europe and to compare these systems with Western European standards. The study examines four cities in Central and Eastern Europe—Lviv, Riga, Wroclaw, and Zagreb—alongside one Western European city, Leipzig, which serves as a benchmark for analysis. The assessment employs eight simple indicators grouped into three categories: infrastructure, organization, and development. The results show that cities in Central and Eastern Europe have significant potential to use rail for intra-urban commuting in certain operational aspects. However, there remains a significant gap between the overall performance observed in the Central and Eastern European cities analysed and the Western European case study.

The expansion of high-speed rail (HSR) networks in Europe has brought significant benefits to urban centers and major corridors, but it has also led to the deterioration of conventional rail services in low-populated and rural areas. As governments and rail operators prioritize investments in HSR for its economic and environmental appeal, funding and resources for traditional rail networks are increasinglydiverted. This shift is creating a growing divide in rail connectivity and quality betweenurban and rural regions, with profound social, economic, and environmental consequences.

In rural areas, conventional rail services face significant reductions in frequency and quality, while some routes are entirely closed. Aging infrastructure and rolling stock, coupled with inadequate maintenance, exacerbate the decline. These challenges undermine accessibility to essential services, jobs, and education for rural populations, forcing many torely on cars. This trend increases spatial inequalities, deepens the urban-rural divide, and isolates communities already struggling with limited public transport options.

The prioritization of HSR contributes to regional disparities. While urban areas and high-density corridors benefit from faster and more efficient travel options, low-populatedregions are left behind. This imbalance undermines efforts for balanced regional development and creates a polarized transportation system where benefits are not evenlydistributed.

There is also an environmental paradox. HSR is promoted as a sustainable alternative to air travel, but the decline of rural rail services leads to greater car dependency in lessconnected areas, increasing carbon emissions and eroding some of the environmentaladvantages of HSR.

To address this issue, policymakers must adopt more equitable investment strategies. Solutions include maintaining conventional rail through public service obligations (PSOs), modernizing rural rail infrastructure, and integrating rail services with local bus networksto create multimodal systems. These measures can ensure accessibility and sustainability in all regions, not just urban hubs.

In conclusion, while HSR offers significant advantages, its expansion must not come at theexpense of conventional rail services. Preserving rural connectivity is essential to fosteringsocial equity, balanced regional development, and sustainable mobility across Europe.

The aim of the presentation is to determine the level of accessibility and spatial coverage of airports in Poland in 2023, as well as to indicate changes in the range of impact as a result of the construction of the new Solidarity Airport and the new high-speed rail line. The second important methodological objective is to assess the possibility of using the Huff`s model to determine the strength of the impact of airports in Poland. The study analysed changes in the range of impact of airports in 2023 and 2040. The range of airports is also influenced by transport accessibility, which will change in the analysed period as a result of a number of infrastructure investments, including the construction of high-speed rail lines no. 85 and 86, connecting Warsaw with Łódź, Poznań and Wrocław. It seems that the construction of a new transport hub may significantly affect the range of impact of airports in the country, marginalising the role of some of them. The results of the analyses presented in this study indicate that if the forecast prepared by IATA turns out to be true, and at the same time all infrastructure investments provided for in the Central Transport Hub programme are implemented, air transport in Poland will become highly centralised. In addition to creating a significant offer encouraging the use of the new airport, the factor that will determine the scale of the port's impact will be its accessibility, which, according to the analyses presented in the study, will significantly improve. The construction of a new high-speed rail line will have a key impact on changing the spatial accessibility of Poland's main cities and their airports.

High-speed rail (HSR) has revolutionised daily commuting in Spain, offering unprecedented reductions in journey times between urban centres and their surrounding areas. These developments have facilitated the growth of inter-city commuting, allowing workers to reside in smaller towns while maintaining employment in metropolitan hubs. The regional HSR services (the so-called ‘AVANT’), in particular, have enhanced regional mobility, enabling daily commutes from satellite towns such as Segovia, Toledo, or Ciudad Real to Madrid (the nation’s capital), with reduced fares and subsidised monthly tickets.

However, the rise of teleworking, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, may have significantly altered traditional commuting patterns. With the ability to work remotely, many professionals could now commute fewer days per week to large metropolitan areas, while others could have relocated to smaller towns connected by HSR, as daily travel is no longer required. This shift represents a dual trend: a potential reduction in daily HSR commuting among those already commuting before COVID-19, but a possible increase in ridership due to a redistribution of residential preferences away from major metropolitan areas.

This research seeks to examine the impact of teleworking on commuting travel behaviours among HSR users in Spain. Specifically, it aims to explore how the reduced need for daily travel has influenced patterns of HSR use and decisions regarding residential locations. The methodology involves conducting surveys of HSR passengers through commuters’ associations established in several HSR-connected cities, gathering data on their travel behaviours, as well as their employment status and teleworking arrangements, across two scenarios: before and after the pandemic.

The anticipated findings suggest that teleworking has decreased reliance on HSR for daily commuting while encouraging relocations to smaller towns with HSR connectivity. These changes may necessitate adjustments in the design and provision of HSR services, such as more flexible ticketing options and optimised schedules to accommodate a less frequent but geographically dispersed ridership. Ultimately, adapting both socially and spatially to these evolving mobility demands will be crucial for aligning Spain’s future HSR strategies.