PTV Vissim – Microscopic Multimodal Traffic Simulation

PTV Vissim simulates and analyses multimodal traffic scenarios, measuring travel time, delays, queue lengths, emissions, vehicle throughput, passenger interactions, and the operational efficiency of road networks and public‑transport services under varied infrastructure and policy conditions.

Description of the tool & accessibility

PTV Vissim is a microscopic, multimodal traffic‑simulation package that models detailed movements of vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles, and public‑transport systems. It enables traffic engineers and urban planners to test the effects of infrastructure changes, new traffic regulations, and service improvements without real‑world disruption. The software is proprietary and available under commercial licensing from PTV Group; it is widely used by city authorities, consultants, and academic institutions across Europe and beyond.

Tool inputs & outputs

Inputs – Network geometry (links, nodes, lanes), traffic demand (vehicle, pedestrian, bicycle flows), signal timing plans, public‑transport schedules, vehicle‑type characteristics, emission factors, and scenario‑specific parameters (e.g., road‑pricing, lane‑allocation).

Outputs – Travel‑time distributions, delay statistics, queue‑length curves, emission inventories, vehicle‑throughput rates, passenger‑level performance metrics, visual animation of traffic streams, and detailed event logs for post‑processing.

Evidence of past use (examples)

• Singapore: Modeling Singapore’s New Mobility Corridor with PTV Vissim – PTV Blog
• London Luton Airport (LLA): Modelling Dynamic Traffic Management at Luton Airport – PTV Blog
• Pekanbaru, Indonesia: Simulation Modelling of Traffic Flows in the Central Business District – IOPScience
• Sampangan, Semarang City, Indonesia: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/969/1/012080/pdf