Links between network topology and socioeconomic framework of railway transport: Evidence from Greece

Abstract

This paper studies the Greek railway network (GRAN) by using complex network analysis (CNA) and empirical approach. The study aims to detect the socioeconomic information immanent to the GRAN's topology and to provide insights about how this network serves regional development. The analysis shows that the GRAN's topology complies with the empirical findings on railway networks, which are described by lattice-like characteristics, due to intense spatial constraints, but it outperforms the topology of a lattice and resembles more to a bus-like configuration. The major conclusion, in terms of regional policy, concerns that the GRAN enjoys an effective architecture of bus-topology, but its socioeconomic functionality is not as effective as its topology. Overall, the analysis provides evidence for the utility of applying the network paradigm to transportation research, regional, and spatial studies. © 2017 Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Institute of Technology.