Delhi Metro Simulator

A command-line simulation of Delhi Metro timings and route planning.

Overview

A CLI tool that calculates next-metro timings and end-to-end trip planning across Blue, Blue Branch, and Magenta lines.

Features

• Next Metro Prediction: Computes next metro arrival times for any station and direction.
• Trip Planning: Generates complete trip plans with optimized interchange routing.
• Smart Routing: Detects when source/destination exist on alternate lines and avoids unnecessary transfers.
• Service Rules: Handles operating windows and frequency variations (peak: 4 min, off-peak: 8 min).
• Custom Time Input: Accepts user-defined start times.
• Auto-Correction: Requests before 06:00 automatically return first metro at 06:00 + offset.
• Menu-Driven Interface: User-friendly CLI prompts for seamless interaction.
• Custom time handling: Users can specify custom start times for planning.

Service Rules

• Operating Hours: 06:00 to 23:00.
• First Metro: Starts at 06:00 from both terminals of all lines.
• Last Metro: Departs at 23:00 from both terminals.
• Frequencies:
  • Peak hours (08:00–10:00, 17:00–19:00): 4 minutes.
  • Normal hours (06:00–23:00 except peak): 8 minutes.
• Interchange: Wait time depends on availability of next train on destination line.

Fare Calculation (Bonus Feature)

Data Source & Meta Data

Station datasets and timing data are loaded from metro_data.txt. The file uses pipe-separated rows inside named line sections. Expected columns:

ID | Station Name | Distance (km) | Travel Time from Previous (min:ss) | Interchange Line(s)

Keep station names consistent across sections for interchanges; Travel Time from Previous must use MM:SS format.

Internal Architecture

• Station Parsing: Loads data from metro_data.txt.
• Offset Calculation: Computes cumulative time from line origin based on distance (assuming 2 min/km).
• Frequency Engine: Applies peak/off-peak logic to determine arrival times.
• Trip Planner: Supports direct routes, single interchanges, and double interchanges.

Station ID Format

• Blue Line: IDs end with 'b' (e.g., 1b for Noida City Centre, 14b for Rajiv Chowk).
• Blue Branch: IDs end with 'bb' (e.g., 1bb for Vaishali).
• Magenta Line: IDs end with 'm' (e.g., 2m for Janak Puri West).

Usage

Run the script using Python:

python metro_simulator.py

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Select Mode:

   • Enter 1 for Metro Timings (Next arrival at a specific station).
   • Enter 2 for Trip Planner (Route between two stations).

2. Select Line:

   • Choose from Blue Line (1), Blue Branch (2), or Magenta Line (3).

3. Select Station:

   • Enter the Station ID (e.g., 1b, 14b, 1m) as listed on the screen.

4. Select Direction (Timings Mode only):

   • Choose 1 (Down) or 2 (Up) based on the displayed terminal stations.

5. Select Time:

   • Choose 1 for Current Time.
   • Choose 2 to enter a Custom Time (format HH:MM).

Station ID Format

• Blue Line: IDs end with 'b' (e.g., 1b for Noida City Centre, 14b for Rajiv Chowk, 42b for Dwarka Sector 21)
• Blue Branch: IDs end with 'bb' (e.g., 1bb for Vaishali, 4bb for Kaushambi)
• Magenta Line: IDs end with 'm' (e.g., 2m for Janak Puri West, 26m for Botanical Garden)

Example Output

Journey Plan
Start Time: 11:15
Next metro from Dwarka Sector 21: 11:20
Board Blue at Dwarka Sector 21: 11:20
Arrive Dwarka Sector 10: 11:27

Total travel time: 12 min 23 sec
Total Fare: Rs. 20

File Layout

metro_simulator.py
metro_data.txt
README.md

Assumptions & Notes

• Travel times are cumulative seconds stored in metro_data.txt (Travel Time from Previous column).
• Interchange wait time is variable, determined by the next train's departure time on the destination line.
• Service runs 06:00–23:00; requests before 06:00 automatically use 06:00 as the start time.
• Peak-hour frequency (4 min) applies during 08:00–10:00 and 17:00–19:00; 8 min otherwise.
• The trip planner detects when source or destination stations exist on multiple lines and optimizes routing to avoid unnecessary transfers.
• Station names are case-sensitive; keep them consistent across sections in metro_data.txt.