routelijnen

Routelijnen, or route lines, are lines on maps and in data sets that indicate the designated path of a transport service or travel corridor within a network. They show the sequence of stops or stations and how a service traverses the network, providing a concise representation of how a route connects different locations.

In public transport planning and geographic information systems, routelijnen serve as a core concept for visualizing and analyzing service coverage. Each routelijn corresponds to a specific service or line and is typically identified by a code or name and, on maps, by a distinct color. A routelijn consists of segments that connect stops, with branch lines, end points, and transfer points commonly indicated.

Data and standards: routelijnen are often encoded in transit data formats such as the General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS), which describes the sequence of stops for each line and its timetable. In GIS, routelijnen are represented as polyline features that can be combined with attribute data (such as frequency, travel time, and operating hours) to support analysis and planning. Routelijnen can be static for planning purposes or dynamic to reflect real-time changes.

Applications and limitations: routelijnen are used in passenger information systems, planning documents, and network analysis to assess connectivity, route efficiency, and service design. They provide a simplified view of a network, which may not capture all variations in operation, such as detours, short-turns, or temporary changes.