1 runways uk – first class partnerships limited – all rights reserved the train to the plane...

1 Runways UK – FIRST CLASS PARTNERSHIPS LIMITED – All rights reserved

The Train to the PlaneLessons from international best practice

Michael Schabas, Partner, FCPRunways UK Surface Access Conference

2 June 2014


Surface Access to Airports

Many types of airport rail links (tram/metro/shuttle/regional/intercity)

Wide range of functions and effect Need to be understand in context of

competition and regulatory framework Many myths and misunderstandings


My experience

Frequent traveller: 150,000 air miles/yearOver 50 years, have used 174 airports 47 airport-rail links hubbed at 30 airportsConsulted on airport access for DfT, BAA, Canary Wharf, VIA Rail Canada, Bombardier, HS1


Key Features of airport rail links1. Connectivity2. Speed / frequency /reliability3. Price4. Capacity/Traffic/Profits . . . 5. Other featuresPretty much in this order of importance . . .


Piccadilly Line to Heathrow Connectivity: Good across London Speed: Not competitive with taxi or

minicab Frequency: Not great; up to 15

minute off-peak, because three branches

Price: Cheap!! Comfort: not great About 10% mode share - used

mostly by price conscious travellers and airport workers

Very profitable operation (has even covered infrastructure capex)


The loop was a mistake!


Heathrow ExpressConnectivity: Only to Paddington; Change trains to T4Speed: Every 15 minutes; Faster than any other mode, but not always after adding connecting timePrice: £21 (one-third the taxi fare . . . )Capacity: 10m per year, 12% of paxDe facto pre-condition for T5 . . . Quality: High10% mode share; ProfitableMarketing: Very good!Return fares, carnets, First Class . . .


DLR City Airport Connectivity: Direct service to

Canary Wharf and the City; single change to West End, and most other tube lines

Speed: Competitive with taxi or minicab to Central London, especially in peak hours.

Pleasant?? FUN?? Frequency: Every 6 – 8 minutes Comfort: adequate for business

travellers without luggage 50% airport mode share, among

highest in the worldPopular with price conscious travellers and workers, but also many business passengersKey part of the airport “offer”???Airport valued at about £1billion . . . .


Frankfurt S-Bahn Connectivity: Direct service

across Rhine-Main region; single, SAME PLATFORM change to most other S-Bahn lines; direct to Frankfurt Main Station

Speed: Competitive with taxi or minicab to city centre

Frequency: Every 10 minutes Capacity: Plenty Price: Cheap!! Comfort: adequate Mode share: not knownS Bahn seems to serve mostly price-conscious or transit-savy local passengers


Frankfurt InterCity Connectivity: Direct hourly high speed

service to Rhine-Ruhr (Cologne) and Rhine-Neckar (Mannheim)

SAME PLATFORM change at Mannheim, Cologne, Stuttgart, etc. to many other destinations

Speed: Competitive with car or connecting flights

Frequency: Every 60 minutes on most routes

Capacity: Plenty Price: Competitive with car; cheaper

than taxi Comfort: very good Mode share: not knownRail access key part of airport offerMakes it Western Germany’s main airport Without rail, airport might need another Autobahn???


Frankfurt Intercity


Cologne - Bonn Loop too long to divert all ICE trains –

adds 10 minutes to trip time for through passengers so only 6 per day

Half of S-Bahn trains diverted, so 30 minute interval

Would a shuttle link to a “hub” station have worked better?


Shuttle links

Dusseldorf, Newark Frequency,

reliability are more important than speed


Shanghai Hongqiao2006


2010


2012


Shanghai Hongqiao

2 runway airport 15 platform HSR

station But they get two

big things wrong . . .


Shanghai Hongqiao


Shanghai Pudong


“You can’t have two hubs. . . it’s either Heathrow or it is another.” Colin Matthews, Heathrow Chief ExecutiveWe disagree – for a big city, 2 or even 3 hubs may be better for passengers (although perhaps not for the incumbent airlines or the airport owner!)

4 “World Cities” already have more than one “hub”

airport.

In New York, United, after merging with Continental, left JFK creating its own hub at Newark with 35 mppa

Moscow, Shanghai and Tokyo are all developing multi-hub airport systems

All have direct rail links to the city with links across the region


The roads are pretty full already . . .

Heathrow 2012 Heathrow 2030 Gatwick 2012 Gatwick 2030 Stansted 2012 New London Hub 2030

-

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

Annual Passengers (millions)

Intercity RailExpress shuttleRegional railLocal railBusCarInterlining Passengers


Heathrow 2012 Heathrow 2030 Gatwick 2012 Gatwick 2030 Stansted 2012 New London Hub 2030

-

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

CarCar

Car Car Car

Car

Bus

Bus

BusBus

Bus

Bus

Piccadilly

Piccadily

SouthernSouthern

Local rail

Local railHeathrow Express

Heathrow Express

Gatwick Express

Gatwick Express

Express shuttle

Crossrail

Thameslink

Thameslink

Regional rail

Regional rail

Intercity Rail

Intercity Rail

Intercity RailExpress shuttleRegional railLocal railBusCar

Peak

hou

r tra

ffic

(tw

o w

ayThe numbers are very large . . .


Lessons?

1. Connectivity? Essential. Without it, few will use rail. Each change has perceived cost of £20.

2. Speed / frequency /reliability? Needs to be competitive - Every 10-15 minutes for regional passengers; hourly for longer distance connections

3. Quality? Different services for different markets, but need to be pragmatic (commuters can mix with airport travellers)

4. Price? Up to 3x taxi fare for express services. Rail can be self-funding

5. Each rail service can substitute for a Motorway lane (or two)

6. Be wary of loops

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