Currently, in the planning phase of linear underground space engineering, route selection evaluations rely mostly on qualitative methods or the quantitative Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). However, these evaluation methods often fail to adequately consider the specific effects of linear underground space engineering on the surface and surrounding structures during the planning phase. This study proposes a composite evaluation method based on numerical simulations and the AHP. For risk assessment, the AHP method was used to evaluate the risks of various indicators for linear underground engineering. In numerical simulations, automated modeling is employed to quantitatively analyze the effects of linear underground space engineering on geological strata and surrounding structures. The results of the AHP method and numerical simulation were combined as a composite evaluation method to analyze route selection in linear underground space engineering. Finally, this method is demonstrated through a case study of a proposed rail transit project on the Yuzhong Peninsula, Chongqing.