Minimizing Metro Transfer Waiting Time with AFCS Data Using Simulated Annealing with Parallel Computing

Coordinating train arrivals at transfer stations by altering their departure times can reduce transfer waiting time (TWT) and improve level of service. This paper develops a method to optimize train departure times from terminals that minimizes total TWT for an urban rail network with many transfer stations. To maintain service capacity and avoid operational complexity, dispatching headway is fixed. An integrated Simulated Annealing with parallel computing approach is applied to perform the optimization. To demonstrate model applicability and performance, the Shenzhen metro network is applied, where passenger flows (i.e., entry, transfer, and exit) at stations are approximated with the automatic fare collection system (AFCS) data. Results show that the total TWT can be significantly reduced.