Rail passenger service delays: An overview

This paper draws an overview of rail passenger service disruptions which lead to service delays. Some findings on the train service delays in some parts of Asia and Western Europe are presented. The types and causes of service disruptions are analyzed across some rail network operators. The equivalent cost measures of delays done by past studies are also discussed. These costs are expressed in terms of monetary and time value. Finally, the benefits obtained from some improvement projects, are briefly addressed. In total, this review suggests that there is an urgent need to minimize service delays for passenger trains, which solution approaches may be obtained from a mathematical model.