Studies and Research

Wider Effects of Railways: the Palermo-Catania High-Speed line, Italy

13 September 2023 – At the “3rd International Workshop on High-Speed Rail Socio-Economic Impacts”, promoted by the UIC (the International Union of Railways), Rete Ferroviaria Italiana and the FS Research Centre, a study was presented that analysed and estimated the impact that the new Palermo-Catania link will have on the Sicilian territory. In particular, the various studies were aimed at predicting both the socio-economic impacts linked to the presence of the worksite within the territory and the impacts related to the operational phase of the works completed, such as accessibility and the agglomerative effect. The application of mathematical models to estimate socio-economic and territorial impacts underlined the importance of the Palermo-Catania investment project. The population, not only of the two hubs but also of the Sicilian hinterland, will benefit from greater potential access to services offered in the area and increased productivity. The territories impacted by the worksite will then gain a boost to their added value and employment levels.

The Relationship between High-Speed Rail Accessibility and Tourism Demand

13 September 2023 - What influence does long-distance rail accessibility have on tourism in Italy? This question was answered by the study carried out by the FS Research Centre and presented at the “3rd International Workshop on High-Speed Rail Socio-Economic Impacts”. High-speed rail has boosted long-distance rail accessibility by reducing travel time. The study showed that the change in accessibility of the stations connected by the HS service has a positive and significant impact on the development of tourist demand, especially for foreign tourists.

An integrated approach for the territorial impact assessment of high-speed railways

13 September 2023 -  How to evaluate HS’ contribution to territorial cohesion? At the “3rd International Workshop on High-Speed Rail Socioeconomic Impacts”, an integrated methodological approach for evaluating the territorial impact of HS railways was presented, developed by Italferr’s Sustainability Structure in cooperation with the FS Research Centre and which will be the in-depth during debate – in the future - between experts and institutional stakeholders.

Can HSR services increase regional economic integration? Evidences from the Italian case

12 September 2023 - As part of the "3rd International Workshop on High-Speed Rail socio-economic impacts" promoted by the Union Internationale Des Chemins De Fer (UIC – International Union of Railways), FS Research Centre and Irpet presented a joint study analysing the impacts of high-speed rail investments on regional and local growth in Italy. The study shows a positive effect of high-speed rail connections on overall interregional trade, highlighting in which economic macro-sectors this is most relevant.

External Costs: Evaluation of external costs change due to High Speed Rail in Italy

12 September 2023 - What role can High Speed Rail play in reducing the impacts of transport on the community? This question was answered by the study titled “External Costs: Evaluation of external costs change due to High-Speed Rail in Italy”, conducted by Mario Tartaglia, Lorenzo Vannacci and Martina Farsi from FS Research Centre and presented at the “3rd International Workshop on High-Speed Rail Socioeconomic Impacts”. The international event was organised by the UIC Alliance of Universities, established in 2015 under the authority of the Union Internationale Des Chemins De Fer (UIC – International Union of Railways) for the development of High-Speed Rail (HSR). The external costs of transport prior to (2008) and after (2019) the the high-speed railway service along the Rome-Milan route were estimated based on the method proposed by the “Handbook on the External Costs of Transport”. This evaluation showed how the high-speed railway – thanks to the low impacts and to the high demand on the Rome-Milan route – has facilitated a reduction in External Transport Costs “paid by society” for the route studied between 2008 and 2019.

Evaluation of the Economic Effects of High-Speed Rail on the Italian Economy Through a Broader Input–Output Model Approach

The May 2023 issue of the “Socioeconomic Impacts of High-Speed Rail Systems” scientific journal by Springer included a paper authored by Mario Tartaglia Head of FS Research Centre and Michele Cerullo, Mara Radicioni and Enrico Ceri - Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI). This paper proposes and applies a model to estimate the impact of investments made in the Italian high-speed railway system. The model allows the entire production structure of the economy to be considered in the evaluation process and shows that, even considering the economic impact, the balance of this investment in Italy is positive.

The Accessibility impact of High Speed rail in Italy: a user-based approach

A scientific paper by Mario Tartaglia, Lorenzo Vannacci and Martina Farsi of the FS Research Centre was published in the May 2023 issue of the “Socioeconomic Impacts of High-Speed Rail Systems” scientific journal by Springer. This paper offers an analysis of the impact that high-speed rail in Italy has had on the accessibility of territories, focused on an approach based on user perception. The accessibility indicators proposed thus consider the actual travel time of the user and not the average speed of the infrastructure, extending the analysis to overall travel time.

The Accessibility impact of High Speed rail in Italy: a user-based approach

A scientific paper by Mario Tartaglia, Lorenzo Vannacci and Martina Farsi of the FS Research Centre was published in the May 2023 issue of the “Socioeconomic Impacts of High-Speed Rail Systems” scientific journal by Springer. This paper offers an analysis of the impact that high-speed rail in Italy has had on the accessibility of territories, focused on an approach based on user perception. The accessibility indicators proposed thus consider the actual travel time of the user and not the average speed of the infrastructure, extending the analysis to overall travel time.