Vibrancy of the space around and between metro stations: Life between Stations and its determinants in Hong Kong

Abstract In high-density cities, metro riders’ activities often extend beyond boundaries of one station’s typical service area (e.g., 800 m around the station), spilling into the urban spaces between adjacent stations. We define this phenomenon—where riders exit Station A, engage in non-metro everyday activities, and re-enter at a neighboring Station B—as Life between Stations (LbS). LbS transforms the urban space around and between stations into a domain of attraction. Using LbS as a proxy for vibrancy—capturing the intensity, diversity, and continuity of human activity in the space—we (a) operationalized the LbS concept and (b) analyzed its spatiotemporal patterns and influencing factors with empirical smart card and open data from Hong Kong. Based on LbS intensity, temporal dynamics, and related riders’ characteristics, we identified six distinct station-pair and/or urban-space groups: Groups 1 & 3 represented vibrant urban cores with abundant leisure and consumption opportunities. Groups 2 & 5 featured mixed-use transit corridors. Groups 4 & 6 corresponded to the urban space with limited amenities and lower degree of centrality in the local transit network. Using machine learning, we identified key factors shaping the vibrancy of all these groups: between-station distance, functional density differences (e.g., dining, shopping, and social amenities) between the two stations, historical factors, and station centrality. Our study thus introduces a novel approach to measuring urban vibrancy around and between metro stations using the increasingly prevalent smart card and open data, offering evidence-based insights for enhancing such vibrancy through conscious urban/transport planning and policy interventions.