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Introducing Railway Time in the Balkans: Economic effects of railway construction in Southeast Europe and beyond since the early 19th century until present days

Author

Listed:
  • Eduard Alvarez
  • Mario Holzner

    (The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw)

  • Stefan Jestl

    (The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw)

  • Jordi Marti-Henneberg

Abstract

In this paper we analyse the economic effects of railway infrastructure at the national level for European countries as well as at the local level for Southeast European cities based on a novel railway database capturing decades of the 19th century up to the early 21th century. A panel fixed effects regression analysis at the country level indicates a positive economic impact emanating from railway infrastructure, whereby the effect appears to be even stronger for less developed Southeast European countries. In addition, a linear spatially augmented multilevel model at the city level sheds light on the positive effects resulting from railway infrastructure on urban development. Its positive spillover effects occur within countries as well as across borders.

Suggested Citation

  • Eduard Alvarez & Mario Holzner & Stefan Jestl & Jordi Marti-Henneberg, 2016. "Introducing Railway Time in the Balkans: Economic effects of railway construction in Southeast Europe and beyond since the early 19th century until present days," wiiw Balkan Observatory Working Papers 121, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
  • Handle: RePEc:wii:bpaper:121
    as

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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Philipp Heimberger & Mario Holzner & Stefan Jestl & David Kiefer & Leon Podkaminer & Codrina Rada, 2017. "Monthly Report No. 2/2017," wiiw Monthly Reports 2017-02, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Railway; infrastructure; Balkans; Southeast Europe; backwardness; urban development; economic development; railway accessibility; infrastructural spillovers; multilevel model; historical analysis;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L92 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Railroads and Other Surface Transportation
    • N13 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - Europe: Pre-1913
    • N14 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - Europe: 1913-
    • N73 - Economic History - - Economic History: Transport, International and Domestic Trade, Energy, and Other Services - - - Europe: Pre-1913
    • N74 - Economic History - - Economic History: Transport, International and Domestic Trade, Energy, and Other Services - - - Europe: 1913-
    • N93 - Economic History - - Regional and Urban History - - - Europe: Pre-1913
    • N94 - Economic History - - Regional and Urban History - - - Europe: 1913-
    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure
    • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes
    • R41 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - Transportation: Demand, Supply, and Congestion; Travel Time; Safety and Accidents; Transportation Noise

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