Use MATSim
without writing code.
MATSim is an open framework for agent-based transport simulation, developed at TU Berlin and ETH Zürich: every person of a region plans a day, and the simulation repeats planning, traveling and scoring until the plans settle. Replan SIM turns it into a tool for transportation planners: a first model in one working day, scenarios in the browser, no coding.
MATSim is free and widely used in research. In practice, your own MATSim model needs Java, configuration files, a network from OpenStreetMap and GTFS, a synthetic population, computing power and calibration. That is often several months of work for a team with simulation experience. Replan SIM takes over these steps, and planners work with routes, fares and zones.
How MATSim calculates.
Daily plans
A synthetic population, every person with activities such as home, work and shopping, with places, times and modes.
Simulation
All people move at the same time on the road network and the schedule. Congestion and crowded vehicles come from everyone's behavior.
Scoring
Every executed plan gets a score: time at activities counts positive, travel time, waiting time and cost negative. The scoring function explained
Replanning
A share of the people changes route, departure time or mode. The loop runs until the scores stop improving. MATSim in one minute
Set up MATSim yourself or use Replan SIM.
| MATSim set up yourself | With Replan SIM | |
|---|---|---|
| Getting started | Java, XML configuration, command route | Browser, routes, fares and zones in the interface |
| Network and schedule | Convert from OpenStreetMap and GTFS, fix errors by hand | Taken from OpenStreetMap and GTFS, planning versions from Replan Transit |
| Population | Generate a synthetic population yourself | Generated from census and travel surveys |
| First model | Often several months | One working day |
| Computing | Own server or cluster | In the cloud, preview and standard runs |
| Results | Evaluate event files with your own scripts | Maps, tables and exports, baseline against variant |
MATSim is open source and the right choice for research and your own models. Replan SIM is compatible with MATSim, and existing MATSim scenarios are taken over where they fit. Travel demand modeling with Replan SIM
MATSim studies with Replan.
Zero-emission zone Berlin for the Berlin Climate Council with TU Berlin, on-demand with MOIA (Hamburg), BRT with Netivei Ayalon (Israel), studies with IZES (Saarbrücken) and HSU (Hamburg).
Talks at the MATSim User Meeting every year since 2019. The method is peer-reviewed in Transportation Research Record 2025. About Replan
Frequently asked questions.
What is MATSim?
MATSim (Multi-Agent Transport Simulation) is an open-source Java framework for agent-based transport simulation. It is developed at TU Berlin and ETH Zürich and used in research and planning worldwide. MATSim in one minute →
Is MATSim free?
Yes, MATSim is open source. The effort lies in setup, calibration, computing and maintaining the model. Replan SIM bundles these steps as software.
Do I need to code?
For your own MATSim model, usually yes: Java, XML configuration and scripts for the analysis. With Replan SIM you work in the browser with routes, fares and zones, and the simulation runs in the background. Replan SIM →
Can I use an existing MATSim scenario?
Yes. Existing MATSim scenarios and other travel demand models are taken over where they fit. A new model of any region or city in the world is ready in one working day from open data. Digital twin →
What is MATSim good for?
For questions where behavior and the daily schedule matter: fares, zones, on-demand, new routes, closures and effects by group. For single intersections and signal timing, microsimulation fits better. Which traffic simulation fits? →
Bring one scenario.
In 30 minutes we take one question from your region, a route, a fare or a zone, and show it in the model.
Your contact: Tim Volotskiy · +49 1573 9663909 · sales@replan.city
Hosted in Europe · export in open formats · in use at HAVAG, LVB and MDV