Many countries have been promoting rail transit investments. Governments and some scholars claim that rail transit helps create livable communities or enhance residents’ satisfaction with life (SWL). However, few empirical studies have tested the impact of changes in transportation systems on SWL. Using the subway Line 2 in Xi’an as a case study, we employ a case-control design and structural equations modeling approach to explore the impact of rail transit on SWL in developing countries. We find that the subway improves SWL of station area residents through satisfaction with travel, and enhanced transit access and quality of service. Accessibility is not a mediating variable, however. Moreover, the impact is much larger than that found in a comparable US case study.

CICTP