A user centered analysis on bicycle train integration

Public transportation is the ultimate sustainable mode of transportation for the masses. It has the great potential to be combined with other means of transport to become more flexible allowing to reach the “last mile”. The present research focuses on the combination of bicycle and train. It is extremely important that the bike and the train are well integrated between each other as the train, being bound to a definite line offers better performances in time, but may not cover the whole desired trip. On the other side, the bicycle has more flexibility inside the city and can fulfil the ultimate destination. Not much research develops into finding the drivers of bicycle train intermodality as a modal choice, specifically in Italy. This research aims to fill this gap and will move a step forward presenting a user centered tool useful, for public administrations and stakeholders, to implement accessibility to railway stations. The steps of the research include first a draft of the survey, based on bibliographic review, then the spread of the survey and finally data analysis. Secondly a checklist on what makes a railway station accessible is made and weighted based on the survey results. Results of the survey, among others, show that people aged more than 44 years old, as well as people who do not feel safe while cycling, tend to use less the combination of bike and train as a modal trip. The application of the accessibility indicator (named AxI) shows that it is a valuable tool for the national application of it on railway stations, as results are not impacted by the number of passengers of the railway station.