Journal of Transport Geography: Scope & Indexing

The Journal of Transport Geography is the premier international peer-reviewed journal dedicated to investigating the spatial, regional, and societal dimensions of transportation networks and human mobility. Published in association with the Transport Geography Research Group of the Royal Geographical Society, the serial serves researchers, spatial modelers, and policy analysts navigating the intersection of geography, urban planning, and civil infrastructure. Whether referred to as the journal transport geography, the transport geography journal, or the transportation geography journal, scholarly contributors require rigorous clarity regarding its editorial scope, indexing credentials, and submission protocols.

What it is

The Journal of Transport Geography (standardized ISO and NLM title abbreviation: J Transp Geogr) is an international scholarly journal published by Elsevier Ltd. Founded in March 1993 (Volume 1, Number 1) under founding editor Richard Knowles of the University of Salford, the publication was established to provide an intellectual home for geographical perspectives on transport systems, spatial accessibility, and territorial development.

Bibliographically, the journal is cataloged under print ISSN 0966-6923 and electronic ISSN 1873-1236, with National Library of Medicine catalog identifier NLM ID 101634510. Across research databases, the variant titles journal transport geography, transport geography journal, and transportation geography journal all refer to this single authoritative serial, distinguishing it from non-spatial civil engineering publications and general public policy digests.

Who runs it and what it covers

The Journal of Transport Geography is published by Elsevier in formal association with the Transport Geography Research Group (TGRG) of the Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers). Under this governance structure, the journal’s Editor (currently Frank Witlox, Ghent University, Belgium), Associate Editor (Kate Pangbourne, University of Leeds), and members of the International Editorial Board are nominated by the TGRG, ensuring direct alignment with the international academic geography community.

The journal’s scope encompasses both conceptual advancements and theoretically informed, empirically oriented research addressing the movement of people, freight, and information across all modes and geographical scales. According to official editorial parameters, primary thematic coverage includes:

• Urban Transport and Spatial Accessibility: Spatial equity, mass transit network design, micro-mobility, active travel (cycling and walking infrastructure), and 15-minute city frameworks.
• Travel Behavior and Human Mobility: Daily commuting patterns, time-space geography, GPS and mobile sensor tracking, activity-based travel analysis, and teleworking substitution dynamics.
• Transport Planning, Policy, and Land Use: Transit-oriented development (TOD), regional corridor planning, infrastructure investment appraisal, zoning interactions, and spatial regulatory frameworks.
• Freight Logistics and Supply Chain Networks: Maritime port geography, intermodal container terminals, global air cargo logistics, trade corridors, and hinterland transport connectivity.
• Emerging Mobility Technologies: Automated and autonomous vehicle deployment, shared mobility services, electric vehicle charging spatial accessibility, and mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) integration.
• Environmental Decarbonization and Resilience: Transport greenhouse gas emissions modeling, energy transitions, climate adaptation for transport assets, and ecological habitat fragmentation.

Bibliographic records from Crossref document more than 4,700 registered peer-reviewed articles in the journal’s publication history, with annual output typically spanning 250 to 350 research contributions. Eligible article types include Full-Length Research Papers (typically up to 11,000 words), Viewpoints and Short Communications, and Book Reviews.

How to search or use it

Researchers preparing to navigate the literature or submit a manuscript to the Journal of Transport Geography should follow this structured six-step workflow:

1. Assess Topic Fit and Theoretical Grounding: Ensure the manuscript addresses spatial or geographical dimensions of transport rather than purely operational scheduling algorithms or vehicle mechanical engineering. Research must demonstrate empirical rigor or conceptual significance in geography and regional science.
2. Format under “Your Paper Your Way”: Elsevier supports format-free initial submission for the journal. Authors can upload a single Word or PDF document containing all text, references, tables, and figures for peer review. Standardized journal reference and layout styling is only enforced after paper acceptance and revision.
3. Prepare Title Page and Structured Metadata: Draft a concise, factual abstract of 150 to 250 words stating the research objective, methodology, core spatial findings, and planning implications. Select up to 6 indexing keywords, and optionally provide 3 to 5 bulleted highlights summarizing the key findings.
4. Attach Mandatory Ethical Declarations: Include an explicit Declaration of Competing Interests, institutional review board (IRB) ethical clearances for human subject survey data, funding source statements, and a Data Availability Statement specifying repository deposit or access conditions.
5. Submit via Elsevier Editorial Manager: Locate the submission sign-in on the journal’s ScienceDirect portal and proceed to Elsevier Editorial Manager (www.editorialmanager.com/jtrg). Sign in using ORCID credentials, upload the manuscript files, verify automated PDF conversion, and track review status. For detailed submission and review mechanics, consult our guide on Elsevier peer review.
6. Choose Publishing and License Pathways: Following peer review and acceptance, authors choose between traditional subscription publishing without fees or Gold Open Access under Creative Commons licenses (such as CC BY 4.0 or CC BY-NC-ND). Authors affiliated with participating institutions should verify coverage under national or institutional read-and-publish agreements.

Strengths and limits

Prospective authors and academic committees should evaluate the following structural strengths and operational limits of the publication:

Strengths:

• Specialized Disciplinary Focus: As the leading serial in transport geography, articles reach an international audience of human geographers, regional scientists, and urban transportation planners without dilution among general engineering titles.
• Comprehensive Indexing: Fully indexed in the Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI / Web of Science Core Collection), Scopus, GEOBASE, Current Contents / Social & Behavioral Sciences, and International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (IBSS).
• High Citation Standing: Maintains a recognized Journal Impact Factor (JIF) and consistent Q1 quartile ranking in both Geography, Planning and Development and Transportation within Scopus and Web of Science.
• Learned Society Partnership: Direct governance ties with the Transport Geography Research Group of the Royal Geographical Society ensure rigorous academic oversight and continuity of disciplinary standards.

Limits:

• Exclusion of Non-Spatial Engineering: Studies focusing strictly on engine mechanics, structural asphalt engineering, or localized traffic light controller circuits without spatial or policy analysis fall outside the journal’s purview.
• Hybrid Publishing Costs: Operating as a hybrid journal, publishing open access requires an Article Publishing Charge (APC) unless funded through institutional read-and-publish contracts. Authors weighing licensing routes can review our comparison of Gold vs Green vs Diamond vs Hybrid Open Access.
• Selective Acceptance Thresholds: The journal maintains rigorous peer review standards, leading to selective acceptance rates and requiring strong theoretical justification alongside empirical data.

Alternatives

Researchers evaluating publication options in transport studies, spatial mobility, and regional planning can assess the following peer-reviewed serials:

Journal Title	Publisher	Publishing Model	Scope Emphasis	Key Indexing
Journal of Transport Geography	Elsevier / RGS-IBG	Hybrid (Optional OA)	Spatial and geographical dimensions of transport, travel behavior, accessibility, freight logistics	SSCI, Scopus, GEOBASE
Transport Policy	Elsevier / WCTRS	Hybrid (Optional OA)	Transport policy formulation, governance, economic regulation, and system management	SSCI, Scopus
Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice	Elsevier	Hybrid (Optional OA)	Comprehensive transport policy formulation, administrative practice, system-level evaluation	SCIE, SSCI, Scopus
Journal of Transport and Land Use	WSTLUR	Diamond Open Access	Interactions between transportation infrastructure, urban land use patterns, and spatial form	SSCI, Scopus
Mobilities	Taylor & Francis	Hybrid (Optional OA)	Sociological, cultural, and geographical dimensions of movement, migration, and mobility theory	SSCI, Scopus
Transportation	Springer Nature	Hybrid (Optional OA)	Travel behavior modeling, demand forecasting, transport planning, and infrastructure policy	SSCI, Scopus

FAQ

What is the primary focus of the Journal of Transport Geography?

The Journal of Transport Geography focuses on the spatial, regional, and geographical dimensions of transport systems, travel behavior, and mobility. It covers urban transit networks, active travel, freight logistics, transport planning policy, spatial accessibility modeling, and environmental decarbonization across all transport modes.

Is the Journal of Transport Geography open access or subscription-based?

The journal is a hybrid publication. Authors can publish without charge under the traditional subscription model, or choose Gold Open Access by paying an Article Publishing Charge (APC). Authors affiliated with institutions participating in Elsevier transformative agreements can frequently publish open access with fees covered by their institution.

What is the official citation abbreviation for the journal?

The standard ISO and NLM title abbreviation for the publication is J Transp Geogr. This abbreviation is recognized across Web of Science, Scopus, and international bibliographic citation styles.

Which major bibliographic databases index the journal?

The journal is indexed in the Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) within the Web of Science Core Collection, Scopus, GEOBASE, Current Contents / Social & Behavioral Sciences, and the International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (IBSS).

Sources

• National Library of Medicine (NLM / NCBI Catalog) — Catalog entry for Journal of Transport Geography (NLM ID: 101634510, Print ISSN: 0966-6923, Electronic ISSN: 1873-1236, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nlmcatalog/101634510, verified 2026-11-10).
• Transport Geography Research Group (TGRG) of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) — Official Journal Overview and Governance Page (https://transportgeography.org.uk/journal-of-transport-geography/, verified 2026-11-10).
• Crossref Bibliographic Registry — Official Journal Record for ISSN 0966-6923 (https://api.crossref.org/journals/0966-6923, verified 2026-11-10).
• Elsevier — Guide for Authors: Journal of Transport Geography (ISSN 0966-6923, https://www.elsevier.com/journals/journal-of-transport-geography/0966-6923/guide-for-authors, verified 2026-11-10).