How much of a rail bonus is there?: The Dresden experience

This paper summarises the results of a detailed study of the preferences of public transport users and residents of Dresden for different types of public transport. The focus of the analysis is the hypothesis, that rail based forms of public transport are preferred all other things being equal. The hypothesis is a central argument in many current discussions about the reintroduction or extension of tram and light rail systems. The study is based on a two-wave before and after panel of residents and public transport users in a part of Dresden, where the local operator changed from tram to bus operations. It involved both revealed (RP) and stated preference (SP) surveys in both waves. The results of the estimated choice models indicate a consistent preference for rail-based in-vehicle time, but it is not clear, if this preference has a large impact on ridership to justify alone the investment cost differentials between road and rail based alternatives.