Understanding the Role of High-Speed Rail on Intercity Commuting: Evidence from the Shanghai Metropolitan Area

High-Speed rail (HSR) system in China serves both interregional and regional intercity travel demand. Despite intercity travel for business and leisure purposes, intercity commuting has been observed along the high-frequency HSR corridors. However, little attention has been paid to the role of HSR in labour mobility as reflected in intercity commuting. The research aims to analyze the role of HSR in intercity commuting using survey data and semi-structured interviews with intercity commuters to or from Shanghai within the metropolitan area. While traditional factors remain relevant in explaining intercity commuting, the qualitative information adds new insights into whether HSR induces intercity commuting and how HSR competes with other intercity travel modes for intercity commuters. Our results show that: (1) HSR expands labour mobility for intercity commuters at a tolerable cost in time and money; (2) HSR commuters were found to live and work within a 10 km radius of the stations. Workplaces were found to be closer to stations than residents; (3) HSR is more competitive for weekly commutes of more than 2 h one-way and daily commutes of less than 2–2.5 h (100 km). This research helps to understand the role of HSR in regional integration and labour mobility.