The Belgian intermodal terminal landscape: A GIS-based analysis

This paper aims to show the possibilities of a geographic information system based location analysis model for analyzing the development of the Belgian intermodal terminal landscape. Taking the location analysis model for the inland waterways terminals (Macharis, 2000 and Macharis, 2004) as a starting point, the model is extended to include the railway network. Based on the current market prices for each transport mode, the model compares the intermodal transport with the unimodal road transport. After depicting the current terminal landscape, the model analyzes various policy options, such as the introduction of new terminals, the effect of subsidies and the internalization of the external costs.