Isochrone

An Isochrone is a line or boundary that connects points of equal travel time from a specific origin point. These geographic boundaries show areas that can be reached within the same amount of time using various modes of transportation, creating time-based service areas around locations.

Isochrone analysis is fundamental to understanding accessibility and service coverage in spatial planning. By calculating travel times across transportation networks, isochrones help visualize how geographic barriers, traffic conditions, and infrastructure affect the reachability of services, facilities, and opportunities from different locations.

Practical Applications

• Emergency services coverage analysis and response time optimization
• Public transportation accessibility planning and route design
• Retail location analysis for customer convenience assessment
• Healthcare facility planning for equitable service access
• Real estate market analysis based on commute times to employment centers

Related Terms

• Travel Time Analysis
• Accessibility Modeling
• Network Analysis
• Service Area
• Spatial Accessibility