A High-Speed Rail-Facilitated Evolution of the City-Network Structure in Less-Developed Regions: Evidence from Jiangxi Province, China

The role of high-speed rail (HSR) in facilitating the spatial restructuring of regional and urban networks has long interested scholars and policymakers. This study explored HSR-facilitated city-network evolution in less-developed regions through the example of Jiangxi Province, China. Applying social network analysis methods, the study calculated indicators of network association strength, density, centrality, and cohesive subgroups using HSR passenger flow data from Jiangxi’s counties and cities for the years of 2009, 2014, 2019, and 2024. The quadratic assignment procedure (QAP) method was utilized to measure the factors that influence of HSR passenger flow network in Jiangxi Province. Research on the spatial network structure of HSR passenger flow and its influencing factors to promote the sustainable development of less-developed regions via HSR construction was explored. The main findings are as follows: Jiangxi’s city-network structure experienced a substantial increase from 2009 to 2024 in network properties, including the degree of association, network density, and the centrality of cities. The structure of the subgroups remained relatively stable, with a few exceptions. Cities in different subgroups form close and strong connections with each other resulting from HSR. HSR has effectively shortened the time and space distances and enhanced the spatial links between cities. Five factors, including population size, geographic distance, spatial proximity, economic development, and administrative hierarchy, demonstrated significant impacts on the HSR passenger flow network in Jiangxi Province. As HSR services continue to expand throughout the less-developed regions, optimizing HSR’s network effects should focus on strengthening the driving role of central HSR cities, promoting cross-regional coordination, and integrating HSR fully with other transportation modes.