Urban railway alignment optimization critically influences urban efficiency, land use, and sustainable development. This study delves into urban railway alignment optimization. It begins with the research background, highlighting the historical significance of railways, the role of urban railways in modern society, and the importance of alignment optimization. It then analyzes the challenges in alignment design, including numerous influencing factors and complex constraints. The research content encompasses constraint handling, profile design, risk assessment, and other related areas. A literature review of existing optimization models and techniques is presented. Finally, the chapter outlines the research work, including model establishment, introduction of frameworks, and development of a human–machine collaborative design platform.