A periodic event scheduling approach for offline timetable optimization of regional railways

We address the train timetabling problem for regional rails by a cyclic scheduling approach. We revisit a mixed integer linear programming model for offline timetable optimization and enhance it using a discrete event formulation and taking into account single-track stations that typically characterize local rails. The model can be applied to regional railways that are increasingly gaining significance due to the social pressure for sustainable mobility. The approach is successfully applied to a large portion of a real Southern Italy railway network, obtaining a timetable that enhances the passengers service level.