The Impact of Waiting and Resting Space Improvements at a Regional Railway Station on Users’ Attitude and Behavior: A Case Study in Kasumi, Japan

Abstract

Sustaining the operation of unprofitable local rail lines has been challenging for railway operators. In Japanese rural areas, railway companies are rebuilding local stations into simple, bus-stop-like structures to reduce maintenance costs. The minimized service and long waiting time raised issues of inconvenience for the passengers. Given the circumstances, local governments attempt to foster local railway use and create liveliness for the locals by integrating public facilities into station buildings. This study targeted an innovative case of railway waiting room improvement, conducted a questionnaire survey on its passengers, and interviewed the local government. Path analysis was used to analyze the structural relationships between passengers’ attitudes and behavioral intentions. The results suggest an improved waiting environment encouraged passengers’ willingness to use the waiting room and decreased their resistance to waiting. Overall, the results provide practical insights to foster the use of local railways and to revitalize the communities around the stations.