THE EFFECT OF SEASONAL VARIATION OF TRAVEL DEMAND ON OPTIMAL INTERCITY TRAVEL NETWORK

Abstract

We have evaluated the seasonal variation of inter-city travel demand for the optimal combination of intercity transportation modes. Here, we formulate the problem of computing the optimal combination of transportation modes that incorporates seasonal variations as a mixed-integer linear programming problem. The numerical analysis of the model revealed the effect of seasonal variations on the optimal combination of transportation modes. As a result, the seasonal variation may change the optimal combination. In addition, the coexistence of competing transportation modes, air, and rail, can be optimal in situations with significant seasonal variations, even in the absence of traveler heterogeneity. These results indicate that seasonal variation in demand can be an essential factor in long-distance passenger transportation network design.