Rail Logistic Europe
Rethinking Rail Planning
Purpose: To address a key operational performance challenge
Human resources planning in the railway sector is a particularly demanding task. It must balance numerous regulatory, operational, and human constraints while ensuring service continuity and quality.
Given the growing complexity of these challenges, traditional approaches quickly reach their limits, particularly when it comes to optimizing large-scale schedules.
It is in this context that Rail Logistic Europe and QbitSoft have launched a project with the goal of exploring new optimization methods based on quantum computing.
Use case: Improving the creation of train schedules
The project focuses on optimizing driver schedules, from structuring daily work shifts to organizing them over several consecutive days.
The challenge is to create schedules that are efficient, robust, and compliant with business constraints, while optimizing certain key operational performance indicators.
To achieve this, we combine advanced approaches from operations research with innovative methods to explore new ways of solving these complex problems.
Objectives: to explore the potential of quantum computing
The project aims to conduct a practical assessment of the contribution of quantum computing to real-world industrial challenges.
More specifically, the project involves:
– identifying the most relevant use cases for these technologies
– adapting existing optimization models to quantum approaches
– comparing performance with classical methods
– exploring hybrid strategies combining classical and quantum computing
This approach provides a better understanding of the conditions under which quantum computing can offer a tangible advantage.
Development: A Gradual and Collaborative Approach
The project follows a structured approach, ranging from business needs analysis to experimentation on quantum infrastructure.
After a scoping and modeling phase, solutions are developed and tested in simulated environments before being tested on actual quantum machines.
This process helps validate technical choices while ensuring their relevance to business objectives.
Impact: Shaping the Future of Smart Planning
Through this project, QbitSoft and Rail Logistic Europe are helping to explore new generations of decision-support tools for the rail sector.
Beyond the potential gains in operational performance, this project enables:
– anticipating the integration of quantum computing into industrial systems
– strengthening innovation capacity in a strategic sector
– paving the way for more efficient and adaptable solutions
This work is part of a long-term vision aimed at sustainably transforming the optimization methods used in industry.