Length of transfer time between connecting trains – is there an ideal value?

Abstract

Quality public transport is an essential part of global mobility. In general, there is an effort to ensure that as many transport users as possible use public transport. The public transport subsystems also include rail transport. Nowadays, traveling by train is not only a matter of overcoming longer distances in national and international transport, but also a matter of daily commuting to work, school or service. Suburban rail transport is usually part of integrated transport systems, the principle of which is the possibility to use several types of means of transport in one journey per ticket. An indicator of the proper functioning of these systems is the existence of quality and convenient transfer dates times and reliable transfer links that minimize waiting times and total time spent on transportation. Within these systems, there is no network-specific maximum transfer time, which usually depends on the technical solution of the transfer point, the distance that passengers have to cover between vehicles or check-in technology (for example, front door boarding, turnstiles, etc.). the ideal value of the transfer time in terms of the probability that the passenger will not miss the connection and at the same time represents different aspects of the view of this issue. This is on the specific route Ostrava – Prague, which is the busiest in the Czech Republic. Within it, two reference links will be selected (one for each direction), the mean value of the delay in the stations with connections and other statistical indicators will be determined. Furthermore, a simulation of train delays is created using the Monte Carlo method, from which the probability of a connection is determined and subsequently the degree of dissatisfaction with the route is determined while maintaining the current connections. From which a transfer time is subsequently identified in which the probability of passing is as low as possible, but at the same time in normal situations passengers do not have to wait too long.