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Estimating the Price Elasticity of Train Travel Demand and Its Variation Rules and Application in Energy Used and CO 2 Emissions

Author

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  • Youzhi Zeng

    (College of Civil Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China)

  • Bin Ran

    (School of Transportation, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
    Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA)

  • Ning Zhang

    (School of Economics and Management, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China)

  • Xiaobao Yang

    (MOE Key Laboratory for Urban Transportation Complex Systems Theory and Technology, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China)

Abstract

Investigation shows that train travel has a lower pollution impact on the environment than flight travel or car travel. A stated preferences (SP) survey can effectively obtain the data of the commuter’s response to the hypothetical train price changes beyond the scope of previous observations. To this end, based on SP survey, we estimate the price elasticity of train travel demand and analyze its variation rules. It is shown that: (1) the own-price elasticities of demand are −1.049028 during peak period and −1.090438 during off-peak period, respectively; (2) the cross-price elasticities of demand are 0.001280 for train and air and 0.001156 for train and car during peak period; and 0.001350 for train and air and 0.001230 for train and car during off-peak period; (3) the own and cross-price elasticities of demand during off-peak period are bigger than the ones during peak period; (4) when the influence factors’ influence degree is 3 or 5, the own and cross-price elasticities of demand are largest; when the influence degree is 1, the own and cross-price elasticities of demand are smallest. A result application example shows that the elasticities obtained from this paper could be used to reduce energy used and CO 2 emissions effectively.

Suggested Citation

  • Youzhi Zeng & Bin Ran & Ning Zhang & Xiaobao Yang, 2021. "Estimating the Price Elasticity of Train Travel Demand and Its Variation Rules and Application in Energy Used and CO 2 Emissions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-19, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:2:p:475-:d:475877
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    1. Ignacio Escañuela Romana & Mercedes Torres-Jiménez & Mariano Carbonero-Ruz, 2023. "Elasticities of Passenger Transport Demand on US Intercity Routes: Impact on Public Policies for Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-27, September.
    2. Jan Kowalski & Mieczysław Połoński & Marzena Lendo-Siwicka & Roman Trach & Grzegorz Wrzesiński, 2021. "Method of Assessing the Risk of Implementing Railway Investments in Terms of the Cost of Their Implementation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-11, November.

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