Basic analysis of human flow trends in the Hokuriku region in preparation for the opening of the Tsuruga extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen

Abstract

Fukui Prefecture will become a region along the Hokuriku Shinkansen line when the line between Kanazawa and Tsuruga begins service in the spring of 2024. Fukui Prefecture is expected to see a significant increase in the number of people who travel not only to the Tokyo metropolitan area but also to the Kansai region and other regions due to the time-saving effect of the Tsuruga extension. Therefore, it is anticipated that the human flow trends in the Hokuriku region will change significantly after the spring of 2024. In this study, we examine the competition between railroads and airlines that is expected to arise as a result of changes in human flow trends and clarify the human flow trends at Fukui Station and Kanazawa Station, which are Hokuriku Shinkansen stations, and at Komatsu Airport, which is the "air gateway" to the Hokuriku region, before the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen Tsuruga Station. This will contribute to the further development of the Hokuriku region after the Tsuruga extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen begins operations. This study clarified the relationship between the means of transportation of visitors to the Hokuriku region and the attributes of the users and their places of residence.