The linkages between high-speed rail network structure and inter-city human mobility patterns: A dual-network approach

Inter-city human mobility, referring to human movement among cities, provides critical insights into urban structures. While the development of transportation infrastructure like High-Speed Rail (HSR) has been acknowledged for facilitating human movement, studies specifically examining the network-level interactions between HSR and inter-city human mobility patterns remain scarce. Utilizing HSR transport density and Weibo mobility index data, this study develops a dual-network approach to analyze the structures of both HSR network and inter-city human mobility network, as well as their interconnections. The network analysis identified multiple urban network structure in China: monocentric, twin-city, and polycentric. Network regression analysis further highlights a structural similarity between the HSR network and inter-city human mobility, although HSR network development lags behind the existing human mobility patterns. The research has important implications for urban planning, indicating that HSR acts as a vital catalyst for urban transformation and inter-city interaction, especially in less developed areas. It calls for a strategic refinement in HSR network expansion, particularly in connecting underrepresented areas and optimizing the network to meet the actual mobility demands.