Efficiency and accuracy are undoubtedly two exclusive indices for shortest path algorithms. The practical analysis on different algorithms solving the Kth shortest path problems has not invoked much research. The comparison on running efficiency between several theoretically rigorous algorithms and the amount of accuracy loss and efficiency improvement brought by lossy Kth shortest path algorithms have remained quantitatively under investigated

and the trade-off between them has not been analyzed in detail. In this paper

with a systematic classification of the most popular Kth shortest path algorithms

the author discussed the characteristics and time complexity of these algorithms

and analyzed and compared their efficiency and accuracy with a real roads network. The author argued that the theoretically rigorous Kth shortest path algorithms

generally lack practical value

only the multi-label setting algorithm can be applied for some applications requiring lossless accuracy. Some lossy Kth shortest path algorithms

greatly improve the efficiency with only little accuracy lost The bidirectional-search algorithm was argued worth paying more attention in practical applications.