Public transport networks of towns and districts are characterized by the available transport systems, routes and frequencies of lines, time tables, and fares. These characteristics are designed in a planning step called strategic planning. It involves challenging optimization problems that include multiple objectives, feedback effects on the demand, and complex technical, administrative, and regulatory requirements.

The goal of this project is to develop a mathematical optimization toolbox for strategic planning problems to be used for decision support. So far, we concentrated on line and fare planning in public transport. We have developed new mathematical optimization models and algorithms for these problems.

• ViP Verkehrsbetrieb Potsdam GmbH http://www.vip-potsdam.de
• IVU Traffic Technologies AG http://www.ivu.de/
• City of Potsdam http://www.potsdam.de/
• Havelbus Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH http://www.havelbus.de/
• Lufthansa Systems AG http://www.lhsystems.de/
• DFG Research Center Matheon "Mathematics for key technologies",
  Project B3: Integrated planning of multi-level/multi-layer networks
  We cooperate with project B3 on identifying and exploiting similarities between strategic planning problems in public transport and telecommunications.
• DFG Research Center Matheon "Mathematics for key technologies",
  Project B5: Line planning and periodic timetabling in railway traffic
  Together with project B5 we are working on the integration of line planning and timetabling.
• DFG Research Center Matheon "Mathematics for key technologies",
  Project F4: Visualization algorithms and web based software
  Together with project F4 we developed a tool for the visualization of our line plans using JavaView.