In Korea, the HST(high speed train) began to operate in April, 2004. The HST is, bringing interregional travel time reduction, expected to have impact on various factors, e.g., travel behavior, regional economy, spatial structure etc. Of those factors, this paper aimed to analyze the possibility of the HST for commuting trip.
An area that can be accessible within one hour is, in general, regarded as "commuting zone". Due to the opening of the HST, two local cities, Cheonan and Daejeon, can be reclassified as the metropolitan area's commuting zones which can be access to Seoul city within one hour. People living in the local cities can enjoy commuting trip to the metropolitan area and vice versa. SP(Stated Preference) survey was done in order to capture commuting attitude of employers who have jobs in Seoul, Cheonan and Daejeon cities.
Discrete choice model analysis reveals that the HST' fare and access/egress time are important factors of determining commuting trip. The probability of choosing the HST for commuting trip is estimated at only 11% under realistic condition. Taking into account operating capacity of the HST, the number of commuters who move to local city and commute to the metropolitan area would amount to 1,870 at maximum. Effective measures to increase the HST's patronage for commuting trip should be taken, e.g., increase of operating trains and no. of seats especially in peak hours, commuting subsidy and effective urban development around the HST stations.