Molyneaux, N., Scarinci, R., and Bierlaire, M. (2018)

Two management strategies for improving passenger transfer experience in train stations

18th Swiss Transport Research Conference, Ascona, Switzerland

Exploiting the full potential of pedestrian infrastructures in order to satisfy the demand induced by public transport modes is key to achieving good level-of-service for passengers during transfers. High temporal variability in demand can lead to high congestion and possibly dangerous situations while the infrastructure is underused moments after. In order to improve the level-of-service experienced by pedestrians, two management strategies are investigated. Firstly, the utilization of gates to control the flows of passengers moving around the station is explored thanks to a PI control structure. Secondly, counter flow is minimized by dynamically adapting the space to the flows moving in opposing directions. This can be achieved by separating the corridor into two parts, one dedicated to each flow direction. The station of Lausanne, Switzerland is used as a case study for these strategies. Gating proved e ffi cient to limit congestion without significantly increasings the travel time of passengers. The expected results when separating counter flow are similar: an increase in comfort without negatively impacting travel time. Finally, the implementation of e ffi cient management strategies for pedestrians can significantly improve the transfer experience in transportation hubs by controlling the walking times between services.