Planning the Way to the Summit: Literature Review and Research Agenda for Human Mobility Studies in Mountain Areas

Human mobility in mountain areas has received limited attention in academic research. Nonetheless, it has significant implications for inhabitants' quality of life, reflected in challenges such as social inequalities, limited public transport, and car dependency. This article aims, first, to identify and review relevant previous research contributions and, second, to examine and prioritize the most pressing issues that require researchers' attention. A scoping review was conducted following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. The extant literature was mapped to examine the core research topics and contributions, identify research limitations and gaps through thematic analysis, and propose a research agenda. The findings of the study corroborate the growing, but still incipient, surge in interest during the last 5 years. Moreover, it becomes apparent that, geographically, research is skewed toward Europe's Alpine region and, to a lesser extent, other renowned mountain ranges, overlooking most mountain areas worldwide. Six future research lines are proposed, based on suggestions made in the reviewed works. Topics related to mobility that have not yet been addressed in the context of mountain areas, despite their critical impact on mobility dynamics and having been studied in other regions, are identified as research gaps. Finally, limitations regarding the methods applied and data used are emphasized. The result is an evidence-based research agenda for academics and policymakers seeking to address the complexity of sustainable mobility in mountain areas in the current context of decarbonization. To ensure a comprehensive and plural perspective, the present work was developed collaboratively by authors from different institutions and regions who contributed to the focus session “Mobility in Mountain Regions” at the International Mountain Conference 2025.