Opportunities for introducing a suburban rail line in the Pardubice region agglomeration with a focus on the Holice area

Abstract

First/last-mile frictions remain a key barrier to public-transport competitiveness. This paper develops and evaluates an integrated solution for the Pardubice region (Czechia): a direct suburban rail service on the Holice – Pardubice – Heřmanův Městec axis coupled with a station-based Bike+Rail (B+R) system. We combine census-derived mobility data with a transparent fleet-dimensioning model that accounts for adoption, peak simultaneity, daily turnover, and capacity margin. Rail impacts are assessed using Generalized Journey Time (GJT) and conservative short-run elasticities. The results indicate that a moderate, spatially focused B+R fleet distributed across the main interchange nodes, together with direct trains, can meaningfully reduce GJT by removing transfer penalties and smoothing access/egress. To stimulate habitual use without compromising availability, we propose a non-personalized dynamic pricing scheme based on progressive loyalty discounts for B+R trips originating/terminating in station zones and aligned with train time windows. Overall, coupling direct suburban rail with a targeted B+R scheme appears capable of materially improving door-to-door accessibility and strengthening modal competitiveness against car travel. A pilot implementation with subsequent calibration is recommended to validate behavioural responses, operational performance, and economic viability.