A Game-based Model for Pricing and Timetabling in Liberalised Passenger Railway Markets
The 24th Conference of the International Federation of Operational Research Societies (IFORS 2026)
José Ángel Martín Baos,
Abstract
We propose a game-theoretic model for pricing and timetabling in liberalised passenger rail markets under vertical separation. Railway undertakings compete for train paths (on-rail competition) and subsequently set fares facing passenger demand (off-rail competition). Passenger choice is modelled through a nested logit structure. The resulting bi-level equilibrium model determines path bids and ticket prices. A column generation algorithm is developed and validated using data from the Spanish HSR Madrid–Barcelona corridor.
José Ángel Martín Baos is an Assistant Professor (PhD) at the Escuela Superior de Informática of the University of Castilla-La Mancha. He obtained his PhD in Advanced Computer Technologies from the University of Castilla-La Mancha in 2023. There, he graduated with honors on both a BSc. in computer science in the year 2018, and a MSc. in computer science in the year 2019.
Since 2016, José Ángel has been working as a researcher in the MAT (Modelos y Algoritmos en Sistemas de Transportes) research group at the University of Castilla-La Mancha. His research focuses on the use of machine learning models and artificial intelligence for solving optimization problems in the field of transportation. Specifically, he has worked on the application of machine learning models for transport demand modeling.