Transfer Robustness Optimization for Urban Rail Transit Timetables

Abstract

A good timetable is required to not only be efficient, but also yield effectiveness in preventing and counteracting delays. When travelling via urban rail transit networks, transferring passengers may miss their scheduled connecting train because of a feeder train delay that results in them experiencing increased travel costs. Considering that running time supplements and transfer buffer times yield different effects on the travel plans of transferring and nontransferring passengers, we formulate an expected extra travel cost (EETC) function to appropriately balance efficiency and robustness, which is then implemented in the construction of a robust transfer optimization model with the objective of minimizing the total EETC. Next, to improve the computational efficiency, we propose an approximate linearization approach for the EETC function and introduce two types of binary variables and auxiliary substitution variables to convert the nonlinear model to a mixed-integer linear model. Experimental results show that our proposed method can yield practically applicable solutions with significant reductions in both EETC and probability of missing a transfer.

Optimal Coordination of Last Trains for Maximum Transfer Accessibility with Heterogeneous Walking Time

“…Guo et al [20] focused on the first train timetable coordination problem in which the weighted transfer connection time is minimized. Ning et al [21] focused on the robust timetable optimization for urban rail networks. The transfer buffer time is proposed, and the timetable robustness is optimized by adjustment of the running time supplement and transfer buffer time.…”

Last train timetable optimization for metro network to maximize the passenger accessibility over the end-of-service period

“…Existing studies on the optimization for the timetable of the last train of the metro can be mainly divided into two categories: the first category focuses on improving the number of successful transfer connections at the transfer station and the second category optimizes the passenger accessibility of passengers in the network. For the first category, references (Xu, Zhang, & Jiang, 2008; Kang, Wu, Sun, Zhu, & Gao, 2015; Kang & Meng, 2017; Chen, Bai, Feng, & Li, 2017, Chen, Mao, Bai, Ho, & Li, 2019a, Chen, Mao, Bai, Ho, & Li, 2019b; Guo et al ., 2020) optimized the timetable of the last train, to improve the number of passengers transferring successfully among the last train and reduce the waiting time for the transfer; Ning, Zhao, Xu, Qiao, and Yao (2016) formulated an optimization model of train timetable in the end-of-operation period to minimize the waiting time for transfer and the number of failed transfer passengers, considering all trains in the period. However, in the metro network, optimizing train transfers merely does not guarantee the largest number of passengers reaching their destinations.…”