Airport rail links and economic productivity: Evidence from 82 cities with the world’s 100 busiest airports

This article examines the relationship between airport rail links and economic productivity in 82 cities with the world's 100 busiest airports across 10 regions. Our multilevel models for gross metropolitan product per capita reveal that cities with airport rail links or shorter access time enhanced by rail have higher productivity than those without airport rail links or with longer access time by other modes. This macro-geographic snapshot could justify greater investment in airport rail link infrastructure and dedicated express services for the wider economic benefits derived from airport-connected accessibility premiums and agglomeration economies in central business districts.

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