Optimization of Timetables on the Bratislava–Žilina–Košice Route in the Period after the End of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

In this article, the author raises the issue of a significant decline in demand for long distance transportation in the Slovak Republic there on the busiest long distance line Bratislava – Žilina – Košice. This article has certain practical significance, but there are some deficiencies in the presentation of the methodology and the writing.

Major concerns:

1. Section 2.2 mentioned utilizing the n-angles method to optimize timetables. What are the reasons for choosing this method, or what are its advantages?
2. What are the differences or corresponding meanings between solid and dotted lines in Figure 5?
3. The author proposes five standards for promoting national and international long-distance passenger rail transport, so why are these standards better than others for long-distance transport services? Lack of some concrete proof process.
4. In the results of chapter 3, the authors introduce a four-hour clock for so-called band express trains on the Bratislava – Košice route, what are the benefits or reasons for this method of dividing time?
5. What is the meaning of R in Table 10?

Minor concerns:

1. The ordinate label in Figure 2 can be moved further to the left.
2. The columns of the upper and lower subtables in Table 10 are not aligned.
3. Line 273 should change “from another Express link” to “to another Express link”.
4. What is the meaning of IC trains in line 291? In general, you should write the full title when the first abbreviation appears in an article, as in the case of EX and EN below.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer, thank you very much for your review and comments, the responses are in the attachment.

 

Best regards.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

The topic of the paper is really important, to gain back passengers to public transport after COVID. The structure of the paper is also well organised.

My remarks: Figure 1: it would be nice to see (at least Q1 and Q2) data from 2021 till we are now in March 2022.

The n-angles explanation could be better by a figure where the different lines having a common (joint) point. It could improve the ease of understand the logic of the figure and theory. (In my opinion)

The number of references are nice (37), but the range is limited. If I calculated well 2/3 is more or less from a not too wide group, and 10% are thesis or internal documents.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer, thank you very much for your review and comments, the responses are in the attachment.

 

Best regards.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

In order to stimulate increase of travel demand and passenger frequencies of long-distance trips along the Bratislava – Žilina – Košice transport corridor, the paper optimizes the operation timetables of railway system by n-anger method and etc. Some indexes, such as average travel time, average travel speed, number of connections, average intervals between connections, become better than before optimization. This is an interesting research paper which is well organized and has potential to be accepted after revised. There still are places which need to be revised as follows.

1. The travel demand and passenger frequencies of long-distance trips along the Bratislava – Žilina – Košice transport corridor is still very low due to non-recovery of confidence on public transport, there might be very long time for mass psychology to eliminate contagious fear of Covid-19.
2. Figure 3 is not suitable to describe the regular inscribed n-angles. No. 1 line – 12 minutes should use pentagon, No. 2 line – 8 minutes and No. 3 line – 6 minutes should change as 20 minutes and 30 minutes respectively and should represent by triangle and diameter respectively.
3. Some indexes, such as average travel time, average travel speed, number of connections, average intervals between connections, become better than before optimization. That means travel utility of mass on railway system will increase after optimization timetable has been implemented.

 

Author Response

Dear Reviewer, thank you very much for your review and comments, the responses are in the attachment.

 

Best regards.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

My suggestions have been well addressed.

Reviewer 3 Report

All advices have been accepted, no more comments are available.