Regional rail or commuter rail usually provide a rail service between a central business district and suburbs or other locations that draw large numbers of people on a daily basis. The trains providing such services may be termed commuter trains. The development of commuter rail services has become popular today, with the increased public awareness of congestion, dependence on fossil fuels, and other environmental issues, as well as the rising costs of owning and operating automobiles.
區(qū)域鐵路,亦稱區(qū)間通勤鐵路或通勤鐵路,是一種提供市中心商業(yè)區(qū)及城市郊區(qū)的鐵路運(yùn)輸系統(tǒng).在很多大都會(huì),每天都有大量的乘客使用區(qū)域鐵路通勤上下班.近年很多地方的城市都著重發(fā)展區(qū)域鐵路,一方面希望減輕市區(qū)內(nèi)的路面交通壓力,以及減少污染,及對汽車和石油的依賴；另一方面亦希望區(qū)域鐵路能帶動(dòng)途經(jīng)地區(qū)發(fā)展成為都會(huì)的住宅區(qū).