URS: A Unified Neural Routing Solver for Cross-Problem Zero-Shot Generalization
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Abstract (arXiv)
Multi-task neural routing solvers have emerged as a promising paradigm for their ability to solve multiple vehicle routing problems (VRPs) using a single model. However, existing neural solvers typically rely on predefined problem constraints or require per-problem fine-tuning, which substantially limits their zero-shot generalization ability to unseen VRP variants. To address this critical bottleneck, we propose URS, a unified neural routing solver that achieves zero-shot generalization across a wide range of unseen VRPs with a single model. We propose a unified data representation (UDR) that replaces problem enumeration with data unification, thereby broadening the problem coverage and reducing reliance on domain expertise. In addition, we introduce a mixed bias module (MBM) during encoding to improve node embeddings, which efficiently captures multiple priors inherent to various problems. On top of the UDR, we develop a problem-conditioned parameter generator to further improve zero-shot generalization. Extensive experiments show that URS consistently produces high-quality solutions for 110 VRP variants (including 99 unseen variants) while demonstrating impressive scalability to large-scale instances with up to 7000 nodes. To the best of our knowledge, URS is the first neural solver to handle over 100 VRP variants with a single model. Our code is available at https://github.com/CIAM-Group/URS.
Key facts. Cited by 7 papers in the map (data through 7 Oct 2026). Builds on 52 of its 70 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 27 Sep 2025.
Builds on
52 of 70 references.
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50 most cited of 52 All 52 (JSON)
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Citing papers per year: 2026: 7.
7 papers.
- 2026Survey on Neural Routing Solverscited by 4
- 2026Efficient Decoder Scaling Strategy for Neural Routing Solverscited by 1
- 2026Rethinking Constraint Awareness for Efficient State Embedding of Neural Routing Solvercited by 1
- 2026SPACE: Unifying Symmetric and Asymmetric Routing Problems for Generalist Neural Solvercited by 1
- 2026Keep Rehearsing and Refining: Lifelong Learning Vehicle Routing under Continually Drifting Taskscited by 0
- 2026Two-Stage Learned Decomposition for Scalable Routing on Multigraphscited by 0
- 2026MiLoop: Selective Memory Propagation for Neural Combinatorial Optimizationcited by 0
- 2026MiLoop: Selective Memory Propagation for Neural Combinatorial Optimization1 Oct 2026
- 2026SPACE: Unifying Symmetric and Asymmetric Routing Problems for Generalist Neural Solver23 May 2026
- 2026Rethinking Constraint Awareness for Efficient State Embedding of Neural Routing Solver11 May 2026
- 2026Two-Stage Learned Decomposition for Scalable Routing on Multigraphs6 May 2026
- 2026Efficient Decoder Scaling Strategy for Neural Routing Solvers28 Feb 2026
- 2026Survey on Neural Routing Solvers25 Feb 2026
- 2026Keep Rehearsing and Refining: Lifelong Learning Vehicle Routing under Continually Drifting Tasks30 Jan 2026