Re-evaluating the satisfaction effects of rail transit accessibility: A comparison of local and network perspectives

Previous studies have linked public transport accessibility to travel satisfaction, but most focus on local accessibility effects, with limited research comparing these to network accessibility effects. Using data from the Beijing Rail Transit System (BRTS) and a large-scale household satisfaction survey, this study applies a Bayesian multilevel approach to examine and compare the impacts of local and network rail transit accessibility on travel satisfaction. We also explore the nonlinear nature of this relationship and the influence of rail transit configurations. The results show that: 1) Both local and network accessibility have significant effects on travel satisfaction, including for commuting and non-commuting trips. Local accessibility has a stronger impact than network accessibility. 2) The effect is nonlinear, peaking at the fourth quintile, and from the second quintile onward, local accessibility has a clearly stronger positive effect than network accessibility. 3) Residents near ring lines or non-transfer stations tend to benefit more from accessibility improvements. These findings suggest that urban planners and policymakers should evaluate transit investments based on network accessibility beyond just station areas, while accounting for threshold effects and rail network design to promote transport equity and overall welfare. • Both local and network accessibility have significant effects on travel satisfaction. • Local accessibility has a clearly stronger positive effect than network accessibility. • The effect of accessibility on travel satisfaction is nonlinear, peaking at the fourth quintile. • From the second quintile, local accessibility has a significantly stronger positive effect than network accessibility. • Residents near ring lines or non-transfer stations tend to benefit more from accessibility improvements.