Feasibility study on high-speed rail and air cooperation

The development of air transport and high-speed rail (HSR) is facing two problems. One is competition, having been stated in many literatures focusing on the economic distances; and another is stresses from large investments, energy consumption and environmental degradation. In this paper, the feasibility of HSR-air transport cooperation is discussed, aiming to prevent excessive service and reduce emissions, but not hurt travelers. The feasible regions are calculated based on a total cost model and Lotka-Volterra equation, identifying in which situations air and HSR could cooperate. Based on this method, some measures are proposed to increase the possibility of cooperation. Some typical city-pairs in China are empirically discussed and the cooperation indexes are calculated.