The effect of competition in Italian HS Railways on ticket availability

Ticket availability is crucial for passenger satisfaction and transportation choice, yet the impact of competition on it is underexplored. Our study fills this gap by examining how a new competitor affects ticket availability, particularly regarding price and timing before departure. Using the 2018 entry of NTV (Italo) on Turin-Venice high-speed rail routes as a case, we analyzed ticket availability changes. Our findings, based on survival analysis, show that competition significantly increases the availability of cheaper tickets closer to departure.