Master’s in Airport-City Interface Engineering and Multimodal Accessibility
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in airport-city interface engineering and multimodal accessibility. 12 modules covering landside and curbside design, rail and bus links, multimodal interchanges, terminal flow simulation and universal accessibility, applying Regulation (EC) 1107/2006, ICAO Annex 14 and AnyLogic, with an assigned technical tutor.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this programme. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Analyse ground access demand to airports by segment.
Size the landside and curbs of a terminal.
Plan rail and bus connections to the airport.
Design accessible multimodal interchanges.
Simulate passenger flows in terminals.
Propose sustainable access strategies.
Evaluate the funding and governance of airport links.
Who it's for
- Airport access planners looking to deepen their command of landside and multimodal design.
- Terminal engineers who need to integrate ground transport into terminal planning.
- Intermodality consultants working on air-rail and air-bus projects.
- Transport demand analysts modelling airport access and mode choice.
- Transport accessibility specialists focused on PRM and inclusive design.
- Airport mobility managers responsible for access, parking and employee travel.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter the airport sector.
What you'll work with
- Regulation (EC) 1107/2006 (rights of persons with reduced mobility in air transport)
- ICAO Annex 14 (Aerodromes)
- Regulation (EU) 2024/1679 (TEN-T, rail connection of main airports)
- IATA Airport Development Reference Manual (ADRM)
- Royal Decree 862/2009 (technical standards for public-use aerodromes)
- Order TMA/851/2021
- ACRP Report 25 (Airport Passenger Terminal Planning and Design)
- AnyLogic
- PTV Visum
- PTV Viswalk
- CAST Terminal
- QGIS
12 modules · 1900 h
1.1Functions of the metropolitan airport1.2Typologies: hub, regional and low-cost1.3Accessibility and urban competitiveness1.4Catchment area and competition between airports1.5Airports and metropolitan planning1.6The experiences of Schiphol, Frankfurt and Madrid-Barajas1.7Airport accessibility indicators1.8The airport as an intermodal node1.9Post-pandemic trends1.10Case study: analysis of the accessibility of a metropolitan airport
2.1Segments: passengers, well-wishers and employees2.2Access surveys of passengers2.3Peak hours and seasonality2.4Value of time of air travellers2.5Access mode choice2.6Logit models of airport access2.7Baggage and mode choice2.8Air cargo demand2.9Long-term forecasting2.10Practical exercise: access mode choice model
3.1Landside configuration3.2Sizing of departures and arrivals curbs3.3Ride-hailing (VTC) and taxi pick-up zones3.4Short-stay and long-stay car parks3.5Vehicle holding areas3.6Car rental and consolidation3.7Signage and wayfinding3.8Access security and counter-terrorism3.9Dynamic curbside management3.10Lab: simulation of the departures curb
4.1Railway stations at terminals4.2Express shuttles and dedicated services4.3Commuter rail and metro to the airport4.4High-speed rail and air-rail integration4.5Combined tickets and remote check-in4.6Interchange design4.7Capacity and frequency4.8Economic viability of links4.9European air-rail experiences4.10Case study: evaluation of an airport rail link
5.1Express buses to the city centre5.2Intercity bus services5.3Automated people movers (APM)5.4Shared mobility and ride-hailing5.5Demand-responsive transport5.6Cycling and micromobility for employees5.7Fare integration with urban transport5.8Road priority for buses5.9Electrification of access fleets5.10Practical exercise: design of an express bus service
6.1Interchange design principles6.2Passenger flows and levels of service6.3Transfer distances6.4Passenger information6.5Wayfinding in terminals6.6Accessibility for persons with reduced mobility6.7PRM assistance at airports6.8Design of waiting areas6.9Retail and services6.10Workshop: conceptual design of an airport interchange
7.1Discrete-event simulation7.2Queueing models at checkpoints7.3Pedestrian simulation in halls7.4Check-in and security processes7.5Simulation of arrivals and baggage reclaim7.6Level-of-service indicators7.7Peak scenarios7.8Validation with operational data7.9Simulation tools7.10Lab: simulation of flows in a terminal with AnyLogic
8.1Regulation (EC) 1107/2006 on PRM8.2Inclusive terminal design8.3People with sensory and cognitive disabilities8.4Families and older people8.5Accessible information in terminals8.6Barrier-free assistance8.7Service quality and ACI ASQ surveys8.8Digital passenger experience8.9Satisfaction indicators8.10Case study: accessibility audit of an arrivals journey
9.1Planning of the surrounding territory9.2Logistics and business zones9.3Hotels and services9.4Easements and planning restrictions9.5Noise and land use9.6Transit-oriented development9.7Local employment and training9.8Coordination with municipalities9.9Landscape and integration9.10Practical exercise: proposal for the spatial planning of an airport's surroundings
10.1Carbon footprint of ground access10.2Sustainable modal split targets10.3Pricing of car access10.4Parking management as a tool10.5Employee mobility plans10.6Alternative fuels in fleets10.7Air quality on the landside10.8Airport Carbon Accreditation and Scope 310.9Communicating targets10.10Workshop: sustainable access mobility plan
11.1Stakeholders in airport access11.2Agreements between the airport operator and public authorities11.3Funding of transport links11.4Airport charges and access11.5Parking and service concessions11.6Cost-benefit evaluation of links11.7Ex-post evaluation of links11.8Performance indicators11.9Operator involvement11.10Case study: funding analysis of a metro link
12.1Selection of the airport12.2Multimodal accessibility diagnosis12.3Demand and modal split analysis12.4Proposal for access improvements12.5Design of an interchange or landside12.6Simulation and evaluation12.7Viability and governance12.8Conclusions and future lines of work12.9Master's Thesis report12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
How you'll learn
The programme is delivered 100% online on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so it is compatible with full-time work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is AnyLogic, PTV Visum, PTV Viswalk, CAST Terminal and QGIS, in free, academic or evaluation versions. You work on real procedures for passenger access surveys, flow simulation in terminals and curbsides, and access modal split modelling. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: Regulation (EC) 1107/2006, ICAO Annex 14, Regulation (EU) 2024/1679 (TEN-T), IATA Airport Development Reference Manual (ADRM), Royal Decree 862/2009, Order TMA/851/2021 and ACRP Report 25.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- University degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 1,900 hours over 12–14 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with AnyLogic, PTV Visum, PTV Viswalk, CAST Terminal and QGIS, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the Master's Thesis. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
A university degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent professional experience, plus a computer able to run the software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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