Does high-speed rail contribute to cross-boundary agglomeration of migrant workers? Evidence from China

Research on the cross-boundary agglomeration effects of High-Speed Rail (HSR) on labor migration remains inconclusive. This study addresses this gap by proposing a refined theoretical framework that incorporates improvements in accessibility and connectivity caused by HSR as a critical cross-boundary channel. By examining the effects of HSR on the number of migrant workers, we find that, HSR operations significantly impact labor migration, exhibiting both agglomeration and diffusion effects, with the former being more dominant. Notably, HSR produces significant cross-boundary agglomeration effects across the provincial administrative and urban agglomeration boundaries, rather than nature boundaries like the Hu Huanyong Line and Qinling-Huaihe Line. Additionally, the “borrowed size” effects from labor migration destination cities mediate the cross-boundary agglomeration effects of HSR on labor migrations.