A FRACTAL ANALYSIS OF THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM OF PARIS

An analysis of the railway networks of the public transportation syste m of Paris, based on the notion of fractals, is presented. The two bas ic networks, (metropolitan and suburban) which have different function s, have also a different fractal dimension: 1.8 for the metropolitan n etwork, and 1.5 for the suburban network. By means of computer simulat ion, it is concluded that the true dimension of the metro network is p robably 2.0. A fractal model of the suburban network, with the same fe atures and the same fractal dimension, is proposed. This supports the conclusion that this network is fractal.