The Role of the High-speed Railway for Alleviating Relative Poverty: A Case Study of China

This research investigates the impact of the high-speed railway (HSR) on relative poverty from a novel perspective of HSR stations as transportation hubs by considering a case study of the Yangtze River Delta region. We find that HSRs effectively alleviate relative poverty, and the impact decreases as poverty increases. HSR internal accessibility exhibits a stronger mitigation effect on relative poverty than external accessibility. The first mechanism of HSR’s mitigation effect is technological development via HSR’s diffusion effect; the second mechanism is non-agricultural employment opportunities via HSR’s syphoning effect. This study provides empirical support for poverty alleviation through HSR development in developed and developing nations.