The number of transfers is not the only factor determining how attractive a train journey is; the characteristics of those transfers also play a role. The Netherlands Institute for Transport Policy Analysis (KiM) examined what is known in the literature about the additional resistance experienced by passengers when making a transfer during a train journey. The Dutch government plans to decide in early 2027 on the future market structure of the railways for the period after 2033. Alternative forms of market structure could, among other things, result in more or fewer transfers and could also require passengers to transfer between different train operators more often. The literature provides little insight into whether passengers value a transfer to another operator differently from a transfer between trains operated by the same operator.
The literature shows that passengers assign a penalty to a transfer, which can be expressed in minutes. This penalty represents the number of additional minutes of travel time passengers would be willing to accept in order to take a direct train and avoid a transfer. This penalty is in addition to the actual time required to make the transfer.
Walking time, waiting time and transfer complexity
Several characteristics determine the size of the penalty. For example, passengers may perceive walking or waiting time as being up to twice as burdensome as the actual time spent walking or waiting. A waiting time of 10 minutes, for instance, may be perceived as equivalent to 20 minutes spent on the train. A connection with too little transfer time also results in a higher penalty because of the risk of missing the connection. The complexity of the transfer is another important factor. For example, having to cross the station results in a higher penalty than a transfer where passengers only have to cross the platform.
The transfer penalty varies considerably. Research by NS and ProRail shows that passengers assign a penalty of 8 minutes to a favourable transfer, while this can rise to around 45 minutes for an unfavourable transfer. For experienced train passengers, such as commuters, the penalty is likely to be somewhat lower, while it is likely to be higher for less experienced passengers.
Transfers between different train operators
Little is known about the difference in transfer penalty between a transfer to another train operator and a transfer between trains operated by the same operator. At present, passengers transferring to another operator generally have to check out and check in again, making it plausible that the penalty for these transfers is higher. In addition, differences in train tickets, fares, season tickets and passenger rights may make passengers perceive a transfer to another operator as less attractive. Further research is needed to understand how passengers weigh these differences when transferring to another operator.
The transfer penalty is also affected when the quality of transfers to another operator differs from that of transfers between trains operated by the same operator, for example because passengers have to wait longer. When considering the future market structure of the railways, it is therefore important to also take the consequences for transfers into account.
The full memo is available in Dutch.