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The identification of city communities is essential for the regional planning and management of metropolitan areas. City communities could be identified from the perspective of mobile flows, and integrating the advantages of multisource flow data is essential to measure intercity connectivity. In this research, a multisource flow fusion method, which avoids the one-sidedness of a single flow, is proposed to combine the characteristics of population flow, traffic flow, and information flow. Moreover, the silhouette coefficient and hierarchical clustering algorithm are used to determine the number of city communities and the final clustering result. The results show that (1) although population flow, cargo flow, and information flow are positively correlated, there are also some differences among them; (2) the fusion flow between cities in China presents an obvious diamond structure, among which Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Chengdu are the four points of the diamond, and Wuhan is located almost in the centre of the diamond structure; and (3) city communities are identified based on multisource flow and hierarchical clustering algorithm, which meet the principles that closely connected cities are in the same community and nonclosely connected cities are in different communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high-speed railway (HSR) has been an essential medium for intercity connections in China. However, despite the great achievements in HSR development, conventional railway (CR) still plays an important role in China's railway passenger market. In this study, we construct urban networks based on China's high-speed train (HST) and conventional train (CT) services, and compare the characteristics of HST and CT services in spatial distribution. Moreover, policy implications are proposed for coordinating the HSR and CR systems based on the actual operating performance of the two modes. The results show that China's HST and CT services are complementary in terms of spatial distribution. Both HSR and CR achieve high passenger volumes in prosperous regions, but CR performs better in areas with lower socioeconomic performance. We suggest that there is a significant potential for the cooperation between China's HSR and CR systems, but some operating and technological challenges must be overcome. • We compare the operating modes and network structures of China's HST and CT services. • We identify the dominant space of HSR and CR based on train services and passenger flows. • China's HST and CT services are complementary in operating modes and dominant space. • Some policy implications are for proposed for coordinating the HSR and CR systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Investigate the spatiotemporal allocation and evolution of China's high-speed train services. • A multiple stepwise regression is perform to explore the determinants of HST service allocation. • The results contribute to understanding the actual operational performance of China's HSR system. • Implications are raised for China's future HSR development. China is now a global leader in the construction of high-speed railways (HSRs). However, few studies have focused on the actual operational performance of China's HSR system, which is revealed by high-speed train (HST) services. This paper investigates the spatial distribution of China's HST services, and the influencing factors are analyzed by using multiple stepwise regression. The results indicate that the total HST services in China have sharply increased in a short period, but there are significant disparities in HST services available to different regions and cities. At the regional level, Central and East China and China's major urban agglomerations have received more HST services, while the HST services in West China have achieved faster growth. At the city level, most cities in the southeastern coastal provinces and middle reaches of the Yangtze River have received more services, largely due to the highly developed HSR infrastructure network there. The results of the stepwise regression show that the dominant factors in HST service allocation in China vary greatly at different spatial levels and in different regions. At the national level, the urban socio-economic performance and nature of the HSR infrastructure has a significant impact on the distribution of HST services. Additionally, at the regional level, the primary determinants of HST service allocation vary across regions, which are closely associated with the disparity in socio-economic development and the HST extension stages in different regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Critical transportation cities often have a disproportionate impact on the functioning of the transportation network, and identifying critical transportation cities may help improve the overall performance of the transportation network. In this study, critical transportation city identification in the multimodal transportation network of China is conducted. First, a directed weighted network that can express both the direction and strength of intercity links in China is constructed. Then, five indicators measuring node centrality are used to evaluate the importance of the nodes in the train network, bus network and flight network. Third, principal component analysis (PCA) is used to identify the critical transportation cities. Finally, the influencing factors of importance of transportation cities are quantitatively estimated by fitting the stepwise regression. The results show that (1) cities in North China, Central China, East China, and South China have higher comprehensive scores, while cities in Northeast China, Northwest China and Southwest China have lower scores; (2) provincial capital cities and some larger cities are generally the central transportation hubs of a region; and (3) the comprehensive score of Chinese cities is closely related to GDP, resident population, local general public budget expenditure, and loans of financial institutions at year end. • Intercity transportation was modelled as a directed weighted network. • Five measures of centrality were used to determine the significance of a node. • Critical transportation cities in multimodal transport networks were identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since China's high-speed railway (HSR) has gradually shifted from coastal to inland areas, more marginal inland areas have been covered by the national HSR network. The assessment of the effect of HSR on spatial equity is now becoming an important issue for governments and planners. Little research has investigated the effect of HSR on spatial equity in inland mountainous areas. Based on the case study of Southwest China, this paper evaluates the effects of HSR on regional spatial equity at different planning levels. First, accessibility values are calculated to assess the efficiency effects of HSR. Then, the overall changes in spatial equity are evaluated by the Accessibility Dispersion (AD) index and Territorial Cohesion (TC) index. Finally, the normalized differences in the accessibility values of cities are used to reflect the regional polarization or equalization at local conditions. The results show that HSR causes significant accessibility improvements in non-HSR cities with poor initial accessibility and has a positive effect on spatial equity at the national level. However, at the regional level, HSR has damaged territorial cohesion and caused a more polarized accessibility pattern. In addition, the non-HSR cities are more likely to be winners in HSR construction at national level. At the regional level, non-HSR cities mostly become losers, and this situation may be solidified by further HSR construction. We argue that different measures should be coordinated at different planning levels to reduce the risks of spatial inequity caused by HSR construction in cities unconnected by newly built HSR lines. • Evaluate the effects of HSR on regional accessibility and spatial equity at multiple levels. • Investigate the polarization and equalization development process on an urban scale. • Confirm that HSR has a positive effect on spatial equity at the national level but a negative effect at the regional level. • Prove the necessity of HSR projects in inland mountainous areas. • Put forward implications for HSR development in mountainous areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigating regional connections and their influencing factors from the perspective of "flow" space is one of the foundations of promoting regional development. In this article, the data we used includes actual highway passenger flow data, National Polar-orbiting Partnership/Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (NPP/VIIRS) nighttime light remote sensing data, and socioeconomic data. We analyzed the spatial distribution pattern, connection intensity and spatial autocorrelation of highway passenger flow in Chongqing during the working day, weekend and May Day and revealed the influencing factors by means of a geographic detector. Three key conclusions resulted from this research. First, highway passenger flow in Chongqing districts exhibits spatial agglomeration that is clearly higher in western Chongqing than in eastern Chongqing and forms an obviously dual-core "star" structure, with the main urban area and Wanzhou serving as the core. Second, a factor detector notes that the nighttime light area index (0.9251, 0.9512, 0.9541) has the strongest explanatory power for the spatial differentiation of passenger traffic in Chongqing districts, which is the key factor. Third, interaction detection shows that the interaction between the two factors displays an enhancement effect at different times. The nighttime light area index shows the strongest explanatory power under the synergy of tourist attractions, which are 0.9850, 0.9903 and 0.9908. But the per capita GDP and highway mileage have the most obvious enhancement effect after interaction (0.9544, 0.9661, 0.9652). Therefore, in future planning and development, we should pay attention to cooperation and exchanges between districts and use the nighttime light area index as an important reference factor to provide a scientific basis for the construction of public transport and economic construction in Chongqing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]