Train timetable design under elastic passenger demand

Journal Article (2018)
Author(s)

Tomáš Robenek (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)

Sh Sharif Azadeh ( Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)

M. Yousef Maknoon (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, TU Delft - Transport and Logistics)

Matthieu de Lapparent (University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)

Michel Bierlaire (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)

Research Group
Transport and Logistics
DOI related publication
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trb.2018.03.002
More Info
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Publication Year
2018
Language
English
Research Group
Transport and Logistics
Volume number
111
Pages (from-to)
19-38

Abstract

A passenger centric timetable is such a timetable that the satisfaction of the passengers is maximized. However, these timetables only maximize the probability of a passenger to take the train, but provide no insight on the actual choices of the passengers. Therefore, in this manuscript we replace the deterministic passenger satisfaction function with a probabilistic demand forecasting model inside of the passenger centric train timetable design. The actual forecasts lead to a realistic train occupation. Knowing the train occupation, we can estimate the revenue and to use pricing as a mobility management to further improve the level-of-service. We use a logit model that we calibrate to reflect the known demand elasticities. We further include a competing operator as an opt-out option for the passengers. Subsequently, we integrate the passenger centric train timetabling problem with a ticket pricing problem. We solve the elastic passenger centric train timetabling problem for various types of timetables using a simulated annealing heuristic on a case study of Israeli Railways. The results of our case study show that the generated revenues can be increased by up to 15% when taking into account the passengers’ behavior along with a specific pricing scheme. This study further confirms the advantages of hybrid cyclicity.

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