VRP Variants
The basic Vehicle Routing Problem rarely appears alone in practice. Real-world distribution problems add capacity limits, time windows, multiple depots and many other side constraints. These are the best-known variants of the problem, each with its own dedicated description page:
CVRP — Capacitated VRP
The canonical variant: every vehicle has a limited capacity, so the total demand served by a route cannot exceed it.
CVRP description →VRPTW — VRP with Time Windows
Every customer must be visited within a given time interval, which strongly constrains route sequencing.
VRPTW description →MDVRP — Multiple Depot VRP
The vendor operates several depots, and customers are supplied from the most convenient one.
MDVRP description →PVRP — Periodic VRP
Deliveries are planned over a period of several days, and each customer specifies the days on which service is allowed.
PVRP description →SDVRP — Split Delivery VRP
The demand of a customer may be split among several vehicles, relaxing the single-visit constraint.
SDVRP description →SVRP — Stochastic VRP
Some data — customer demands, presence, service or travel times — are random variables instead of fixed values.
SVRP description →VRPB — VRP with Backhauls
Customers may either receive goods (linehaul) or send goods back to the depot (backhaul), with precedence constraints between both groups.
VRPB description →VRPPD — VRP with Pick-up and Delivery
Goods are collected at pick-up locations and must be transported to their paired delivery locations.
VRPPD description →VRPSF — VRP with Satellite Facilities
Intermediate satellite facilities allow vehicles to replenish along their routes when covering large service areas.
VRPSF description →E-VRP — Electric VRP
Battery electric vehicles with limited driving range must visit recharging stations along their routes. Includes the E-VRPTW.
E-VRP description →