Abstract: A self-routing packet switching network architecture receives parallel incoming data packets and divides each of the corresponding bits within each data packet into words. The words are distributed into multiple transport channels, one word being placed into each channel in an alternating fashion. The words are transported through the channels and later words are input to the channels. Header words are also input to a self-routing network circuit. The self-routing network circuit determines the switching decisions to be made at each stage of a routing segment in order to properly route the words. Routing segments at the ends of the transport channels route the data according to these switching decisions. The use of multiple transport channels allows the network to operate internally at a reduced clock rate while still maintaining the same bandwidth as a direct bridge network architecture.