How can the social impacts generated by High-Speed Rail infrastructure be measured?
This is the question at the heart of the study The Social Impact of High-Speed Rail: From Consolidated Frameworks to Innovative References and Tools, presented by S. Martini, C. Ravagnan, A. Errico, A. Becchetti, S. Nardoni and E. Castiello of FS Engineering, together with Mario Tartaglia, Head of the FS Research Centre of the FS Group, and A. Fiduccia, member of the Centre, at the 6th International Symposium on High-Speed Rail Socioeconomic Impacts, organized by UIC and the University of Naples Federico II and held online on 8–9 September 2026.
The research aims to develop a more comprehensive approach to assessing the social impacts of High-Speed Rail infrastructure throughout its entire life cycle, from planning to operation.
The study reviews and compares established methodologies, including sustainability indicators, cost-benefit analysis, tools for assessing social acceptance, and Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA).
The approach considers impacts on communities, workers, businesses, and territories, alongside technical and economic factors. The findings show that no single method can fully capture the complexity of the social impacts generated by High-Speed Rail.
The authors therefore propose a multidimensional and integrated approach that combines different assessment tools.
A more comprehensive evaluation of the social dimension can help make infrastructure decision-making more transparent and sustainability-oriented.