Analyzing an Integrated Mode-Choice User Preference Model for Budapest

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

2026

Subject Area

place - europe, place - urban, mode - bus, mode - subway/metro, mode - tram/light rail, planning - methods, planning - surveys, ridership - mode choice, ridership - perceptions

Keywords

best-worst method (BWM), preference ranking organization method for enrichment evaluations (PROMETHEE), geometrical analysis for interactive aid (GAIA), public transport, decision-making, mode choice

Abstract

Urban mode choice is either analyzed by subjective preference surveys, which are often biased, or by travel data processing, which misses revealing the travelers’ perceptions and intentions. The current article aims to amplify the classic survey-based mode choice analysis by providing objective thresholds for several tangible criteria of transport modes thus reducing the subjective bias. The proposed approach uses a combination of the best-worst and the preference ranking organization method for enrichment evaluations—geometrical analysis for interactive aid (GAIA) methods to evaluate and outrank the available transport modes in an urban environment, i.e., the city of Budapest. The results demonstrate that underground and tram have prominent preference over the bus mode. Regarding the criteria, “Journey time” and “Waiting time” are the most crucial, while “Comfort at stop” and “Safety of stops” are the least important parameters. Practically, it means that track-based transportation systems should be primarily ameliorated in big cities, especially due to their speed and frequency. The introduced methodology and survey procedure can be adopted to other cities worldwide to help transportation planners in their decision-making for ameliorating urban transportation.

Rights

Permission to publish the abstract has been given by Taylor&Francis, copyright remains with them.

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