Study of Factors Impacting on Passenger Satisfaction with High-Speed Train Based on Structural Equation Modeling

This paper studies the interrelationships between high-speed railway service quality and passenger satisfaction and passenger behavioral intention. Latent variables reflecting service quality are built based on SERVQUAL model. The satisfaction survey was conducted in the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway, and structural equation model was adopted to fit the case data. The results show that station tangible, train tangible, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy are correlated positively and directly with passenger satisfaction. Reliability has the greatest impact on passenger satisfaction. Passenger satisfaction significantly influences behavioral intention. The study found that different passenger groups had different perceptions about satisfaction. Station tangible had no obvious impact on elder passenger groups, while responsiveness had no obvious impact on business travel passenger groups. The quantitative analysis results obtained in this study can provide theoretical support and decision-making basis for the high-speed railway operation department to improve their service quality and increase market share.