With　the　network　operation　in　urban　rail　transit　(URT),　accessibility　to　the　URT　network　increases　markedly,　leading　to　a　growing　transfer　demand.　As　the　URT　system　resource　is　equivalent　to　a　bottleneck　resource,　it　needs　to　be　fairly　allocated　to　transfer　passengers　(TP)　and　direct　passengers　(DP).　Most　existing　studies　focus　on　single　line　operation　optimization　but　ignore　the　transfer　demands　of　TPs.　Cross-line　operation　(CO)　has　been　verified　as　an　efficient　way　to　improve　TP　travel　efficiency.　This　study　focuses　on　the　issue　of　passenger　travel　fairness　with　CO　in　the　URT　system.　The　concept　of　passenger　effective　travel　time　(ET)　and　ineffective　travel　time　(IET)　are　proposed　first.　Based　on　the　concept　of　α-fairness,　the　fairness　of　different　classes　of　passengers　was　calculated　through　IET　and　ET.　A　mathematical　model　with　decision　variables　of　the　turn-back　station　for　CO　and　train　frequency　was　constructed　by　analyzing　the　travel　characteristics　of　passengers　in　two　types　of　intersecting　URT　lines　(＇Y/T＇-type　and　＇X＇-type)　to　minimize　the　passenger　IET　cost,　fairness,　and　operation　cost.　Finally,　the　Changping　Line　and　Line　8　in　the　Beijing　URT　system　were　considered　as　examples　to　verify　the　effectiveness　of　the　proposed　approach.　The　results　indicate　that　from　an　overall　perspective,　CO　can　improve　passenger　travel　fairness　without　increasing　the　IET　cost　for　all　passengers.　Furthermore,　considering　the　fairness　of　passenger　travel　may　increase　the　operation　costs.　Study　results　contribute　to　a　more　fair　URT　system.　©　2022　Elsevier　B.V.