Multimodality and subjective wellbeing: evidence, insights, and research frontiers

Multimodal travel is increasingly promoted as a strategy to enhance environmental sustainability. Meanwhile, transport policies also target social sustainability, it is thus essential to understand how multimodal travel influences people’s subjective wellbeing (SWB). This literature review synthesises existing research evidence and uncovers potential pathways linking multimodality to SWB. The review considers multimodality as using multiple transport modes within a single trip (i.e., trip-level multimodality) and over an extended period (i.e., individual-level multimodality). Individual-level multimodality influences SWB by facilitating activity participation across various destinations and diversifying activities during travel, while also potentially increasing daily travel expenses and exposure to uncertainty and unsafe conditions. Trip-level multimodality affects SWB through heightened experiential disutility and coordination complexity associated with intermodal transfers, as well as intensified exposure to external environments during non-primary trip legs (e.g. access and egress legs). This review develops a conceptual framework and a research agenda to address key gaps, supporting the development of multimodal policies that advance both social and environmental sustainability.