Structural Components of Transport Networks

Structural Components of Transport Networks

The main structural components of transport networks are:

  • Node. Any location that has access to a transportation network.
  • Link. Physical transport infrastructures enabling two nodes to be connected.
  • Flow. The amount of traffic that circulates on a link between two nodes and the amount of traffic going through a node. Flows can thus be modal, intermodal (between modes) and transmodal (between components of the same mode).
  • Gateway. A node that is connecting two different systems of circulation that are usually separate networks (modes) and which acts as a compulsory passage for various flows. An intermodal function is performed so that passengers or freight are transferred from one network to the other.
  • Hub. A node that is handling a substantial amount of traffic and connects elements of the same transport network, or different scales of the network (e.g. regional and international).
  • Feeder. A node that is linked to a hub. It organizes the direction of flows along a corridor and can be considered as a consolidation and distribution point.
  • Corridor. A sequence of nodes and links supporting modal flows of passengers or freight. They are generally concentrated along a communication axis, have a linear orientation and connected to a gateway.