Comparing cost-only and multi-criteria hub location designs in Spain's intermodal freight network

This paper compares two hub location formulations applied to Spain's 2023 port–inland intermodal freight network, a context where cost efficiency and operational robustness must coexist under increasing uncertainty. Model A is a cost-only CMAHLP that minimizes expected logistics cost under deterministic assumptions. Model B is a multi-criteria version including economic cost, stratified coverage and an operational recovery indicator grounded in Eurocode/ROM reliability standards. Both models use the same data, constraints and solution framework (NSGA-II), allowing a controlled comparison. The results show that incorporating coverage and recovery criteria can lead to network designs with comparable or lower expected total cost. Instead of increasing expenditure, the multi-criteria solutions shift hub locations, rebalance flows, and improve accessibility in inland areas, reducing exposure to disruption-related losses. These differences have direct implications for intermodal planning, especially in networks where ports, rail corridors and inland distribution must operate together under variable conditions. The contribution of the paper is empirical and policy-relevant: it examines how alternative modelling priorities modify the structure, risk profile and expected performance of a real freight network, providing evidence that resilience-oriented design can be integrated into strategic planning without presuming an inherent cost penalty.