Housing market integration and residential reshuffling across national borders: Evidence from Geneva's Léman Express

This project studies the local housing market effects of a trans-border public transport improvement in a binational agglomeration. I exploit the introduction of the Léman Express in the Greater Geneva area in 2019, an important trans-border rail link. I describe how housing prices and construction activity respond to the introduction of this new rail service. Using data from the French Census, I aim to address the residential mobility response triggered by the reduction in cross-border commuting costs to understand the impact on local communities. Finally, leveraging a revealed preference argument, I aim to use the observed residential relocation flows between Geneva and France to shed light on the importance of the various frictions at play in this border context. My project can provide general lessons to understand what it takes for a succesful integration of trans-border metropolitan areas.