Constraint-based In-Station Train Dispatching

Andreas Schutt; Matteo Cardellini; Jip Dekker; Daniel Harabor; Marco Maratea; Mauro Vallati

doi:10.4230/LIPIcs.CP.2025.33

Constraint-based In-Station Train Dispatching

Andreas Schutt, Matteo Cardellini, Jip Dekker, Daniel Harabor, Marco Maratea, Mauro Vallati

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

Abstract

In-station dispatching is the problem of planning the movements of scheduled trains inside a railway station. Effective solutions for in-station dispatching are important for maximising the utilisation of railway infrastructure and for mitigating the impact of incidents and delays in the broader network.

In this paper, we explore a constraint-based approach to perform in-station train dispatching. Our extensive empirical analysis of multiple modelling, search strategy, and solver choices, performed over synthetically generated, yet realistic, data, shows that our method outperforms the existing planning-based state-of-the-art approach. In addition, we present different optimisation criteria, which can be effortless defined thanks to the constraint-based approach.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of The 31st International Conference on Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming
Subtitle of host publication	CP 2025
Editors	Maria Garcia de la Banda
Publisher	Schloss Dagstuhl- Leibniz-Zentrum fur Informatik GmbH, Dagstuhl Publishing
Number of pages	24
ISBN (Electronic)	9783959773805
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.4230/LIPIcs.CP.2025.33
Publication status	Published - 8 Aug 2025
Event	31st International Conference on Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming - University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom Duration: 10 Aug 2025 → 15 Aug 2025 Conference number: 31 https://cp2025.a4cp.org/

Publication series

Name	Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics, LIPIcs
Volume	340
ISSN (Print)	1868-8969

Conference

Conference	31st International Conference on Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming
Abbreviated title	CP 2025
Country/Territory	United Kingdom
City	Glasgow
Period	10/08/25 → 15/08/25
Internet address	https://cp2025.a4cp.org/

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10.4230/LIPIcs.CP.2025.33Licence: CC BY

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Schutt, A., Cardellini, M., Dekker, J., Harabor, D., Maratea, M., & Vallati, M. (2025). Constraint-based In-Station Train Dispatching. In M. G. de la Banda (Ed.), Proceedings of The 31st International Conference on Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming: CP 2025 Article 33 (Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics, LIPIcs; Vol. 340). Schloss Dagstuhl- Leibniz-Zentrum fur Informatik GmbH, Dagstuhl Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4230/LIPIcs.CP.2025.33

Schutt, Andreas ; Cardellini, Matteo ; Dekker, Jip et al. / Constraint-based In-Station Train Dispatching. Proceedings of The 31st International Conference on Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming: CP 2025. editor / Maria Garcia de la Banda. Schloss Dagstuhl- Leibniz-Zentrum fur Informatik GmbH, Dagstuhl Publishing, 2025. (Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics, LIPIcs).

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abstract = "In-station dispatching is the problem of planning the movements of scheduled trains inside a railway station. Effective solutions for in-station dispatching are important for maximising the utilisation of railway infrastructure and for mitigating the impact of incidents and delays in the broader network. In this paper, we explore a constraint-based approach to perform in-station train dispatching. Our extensive empirical analysis of multiple modelling, search strategy, and solver choices, performed over synthetically generated, yet realistic, data, shows that our method outperforms the existing planning-based state-of-the-art approach. In addition, we present different optimisation criteria, which can be effortless defined thanks to the constraint-based approach. ",

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Schutt, A, Cardellini, M, Dekker, J, Harabor, D, Maratea, M & Vallati, M 2025, Constraint-based In-Station Train Dispatching. in MG de la Banda (ed.), Proceedings of The 31st International Conference on Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming: CP 2025., 33, Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics, LIPIcs, vol. 340, Schloss Dagstuhl- Leibniz-Zentrum fur Informatik GmbH, Dagstuhl Publishing, 31st International Conference on Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming, Glasgow, United Kingdom, 10/08/25. https://doi.org/10.4230/LIPIcs.CP.2025.33

Constraint-based In-Station Train Dispatching. / Schutt, Andreas; Cardellini, Matteo; Dekker, Jip et al.
Proceedings of The 31st International Conference on Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming: CP 2025. ed. / Maria Garcia de la Banda. Schloss Dagstuhl- Leibniz-Zentrum fur Informatik GmbH, Dagstuhl Publishing, 2025. 33 (Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics, LIPIcs; Vol. 340).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

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T1 - Constraint-based In-Station Train Dispatching

AU - Schutt, Andreas

AU - Cardellini, Matteo

AU - Dekker, Jip

AU - Harabor, Daniel

AU - Maratea, Marco

AU - Vallati, Mauro

N1 - Conference code: 31

PY - 2025/8/8

Y1 - 2025/8/8

N2 - In-station dispatching is the problem of planning the movements of scheduled trains inside a railway station. Effective solutions for in-station dispatching are important for maximising the utilisation of railway infrastructure and for mitigating the impact of incidents and delays in the broader network. In this paper, we explore a constraint-based approach to perform in-station train dispatching. Our extensive empirical analysis of multiple modelling, search strategy, and solver choices, performed over synthetically generated, yet realistic, data, shows that our method outperforms the existing planning-based state-of-the-art approach. In addition, we present different optimisation criteria, which can be effortless defined thanks to the constraint-based approach.

AB - In-station dispatching is the problem of planning the movements of scheduled trains inside a railway station. Effective solutions for in-station dispatching are important for maximising the utilisation of railway infrastructure and for mitigating the impact of incidents and delays in the broader network. In this paper, we explore a constraint-based approach to perform in-station train dispatching. Our extensive empirical analysis of multiple modelling, search strategy, and solver choices, performed over synthetically generated, yet realistic, data, shows that our method outperforms the existing planning-based state-of-the-art approach. In addition, we present different optimisation criteria, which can be effortless defined thanks to the constraint-based approach.

KW - in-station train dispatching

KW - train scheduling

KW - railway scheduling

KW - constraint 15 programming

KW - mixed-integer programming

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BT - Proceedings of The 31st International Conference on Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming

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ER -

Schutt A, Cardellini M, Dekker J, Harabor D, Maratea M, Vallati M. Constraint-based In-Station Train Dispatching. In de la Banda MG, editor, Proceedings of The 31st International Conference on Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming: CP 2025. Schloss Dagstuhl- Leibniz-Zentrum fur Informatik GmbH, Dagstuhl Publishing. 2025. 33. (Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics, LIPIcs). doi: 10.4230/LIPIcs.CP.2025.33

Constraint-based In-Station Train Dispatching

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