@cyanheads/transitland-mcp-server
Global transit data from the Transitland v2 registry — operators, GTFS/GTFS-RT/GBFS feeds with license terms, routes, stops, and real-time-aware departures via MCP. STDIO or Streamable HTTP.
6 Tools • 2 Resources
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---
## Overview
Transit data for thousands of operators worldwide from Transitland, the open aggregator of GTFS, GTFS-Realtime, and GBFS feeds. Find operators and their feeds, and look up routes, stops, and real-time departures.
### Tools
| Tool | Description |
|:---|:---|
| `transitland_find_operators` | Find transit operators/agencies by name, point/radius, bounding box, country/region, or Onestop ID |
| `transitland_get_operator` | Fetch the full operator record by Onestop ID — agencies, feeds, and source tags |
| `transitland_find_feeds` | Discover GTFS, GTFS-Realtime, and GBFS feeds — fetch URLs, license terms, and freshness |
| `transitland_find_routes` | Find routes by point/radius, bounding box, operator, Onestop ID, or GTFS mode |
| `transitland_find_stops` | Find stops/stations by name, point/radius, bounding box, Onestop ID, or operator network |
| `transitland_get_departures` | Departures from a stop, each flagged `realtime` true/false |
Transitland does not geocode place names — resolve a location to coordinates with a geocoding MCP server (e.g. [`openstreetmap-mcp-server`](https://github.com/cyanheads/openstreetmap-mcp-server)'s `openstreetmap_geocode`) before calling a geography-filtered tool.
### Resources
| Resource | Description |
|:---|:---|
| `transitland://operator/{onestop_id}` | Operator record by Onestop ID — agencies, places served, published feeds, and source tags |
| `transitland://feed/{onestop_id}` | Feed record by Onestop ID — spec, fetch URL, license terms, and freshness |
All resource data is also reachable via tools (`transitland_get_operator`, `transitland_find_feeds`).
## Capability reference
Page limits default to 20 and are capped at 100. A larger `limit` is clamped with a notice, and `truncated`, `shown`, and `cap` appear when a page hits the limit. Use the returned `after` cursor to continue.
### `transitland_find_operators` tool
- Filter by `search` (name), `lat`+`lon`+`radius` (max 100,000m, default 1,000m), `bbox`, `onestop_id`, or `adm0_name`/`adm1_name` (country/region) — at least one required, or the call fails as `no_filter`
- `lat` requires `lon` and vice versa, or the call fails as `incomplete_point`
- Returns each operator's Onestop ID, name, places served, published feeds (a `GTFS_RT` entry signals real-time departures may be available), and Wikidata QID
---
### `transitland_get_operator` tool
- Accepts an Onestop ID (e.g. `o-9q9-bart`) or an internal integer ID
- Returns agencies (each with places served), published feeds, and source tags: Wikidata QID, US NTD ID, general Twitter/X handle
- `operator_not_found` when the ID doesn't resolve
---
### `transitland_find_feeds` tool
- Filter by `operator_onestop_id` (from `transitland_find_operators`), `spec` (`gtfs`/`gtfs-rt`/`gbfs`/`mds`; case and underscore/hyphen variants such as `GTFS_RT` are accepted), `search`, or `fetch_error` — at least one required
- Each feed returns its fetch URL, real-time endpoints, freshness (last fetch, content hash, calendar window covered), and license terms — redistribution, commercial use, derived products, and attribution as `yes`/`no`/`unknown`, never inferred from a blank field — plus SPDX identifier and attribution text where known
- `authorizationRequired` flags feeds whose download needs a separate key or registration
---
### `transitland_find_routes` tool
- Filter by `lat`+`lon`+`radius` (max 50,000m, default 1,000m), `bbox`, `operator_onestop_id`, `onestop_id`, `route_type` (GTFS mode integer), or `search` — at least one required
- `lat` requires `lon` and vice versa, or the call fails as `incomplete_point`
- Returns short/long name, GTFS mode (bus, subway, rail, ferry, tram, …), brand color, and the operating agency's and source feed's Onestop IDs. A missing route type is `null` with mode `unknown`
- Scheduled (GTFS static) route definitions, not live vehicle positions
---
### `transitland_find_stops` tool
- Filter by `lat`+`lon`+`radius` (max 10,000m, default 500m), `bbox`, `onestop_id`, `served_by_onestop_ids` (comma-separated operator/route Onestop IDs), or stop-name `search` — at least one required. Name searches need no geocoding
- Returns coordinates (`null` when missing upstream), `location_type` with a label (stop, station, entrance, node, boarding area), wheelchair accessibility, timezone, and the parent station's Onestop ID for child platforms
- Departures attach to platform-level stops (`location_type` 0) — a station may return none, so use its child platforms
---
### `transitland_get_departures` tool
- Resolve a stop to its Onestop ID with `transitland_find_stops` first; `stop_not_found` when it doesn't resolve. `next_seconds` sets the look-ahead window: 60–86,400 (default 3,600) — widen it or set `use_service_window: true` when a stop returns nothing
- Every departure carries a `realtime` flag (`true` for a live GTFS-Realtime prediction, `false` for a scheduled time) and a `scheduleRelationship` (`STATIC`, `SCHEDULED`, `ADDED`, `CANCELED`, `UNSCHEDULED`, `DUPLICATED`)
- Also returns scheduled and estimated times with delay in seconds, route, headsign, mode, trip, direction, and accessibility; top-level `realtimeAvailable` reports whether the stop's feed publishes GTFS-RT at all
---
### `transitland://operator/{onestop_id}` resource
- Mirrors `transitland_get_operator` — agencies, places served, published feeds, and source tags
- `onestop_id` accepts an Onestop ID (e.g. `o-9q9-bart`) or internal integer ID; `operator_not_found` when it doesn't resolve
---
### `transitland://feed/{onestop_id}` resource
- Mirrors a single-feed result from `transitland_find_feeds` — spec, fetch URL, real-time endpoints, license terms, and freshness
- `onestop_id` accepts a feed Onestop ID (e.g. `f-9q9-bart`) or internal integer ID; `feed_not_found` when it doesn't resolve
- Blank license fields come back as `unknown`/null, never inferred as permissive
## Features
Built on [`@cyanheads/mcp-ts-core`](https://github.com/cyanheads/mcp-ts-core): stdio and Streamable HTTP transports, pluggable auth (`none` / `jwt` / `oauth`), swappable storage (`in-memory`, `filesystem`, `Supabase`, `Cloudflare KV/R2/D1`), structured logging with optional OpenTelemetry tracing.
Transitland-specific:
- Direct HTTP client for the Transitland v2 REST API — no SDK dependency, a flat query-param contract over a handful of GET endpoints
- Onestop IDs (`o-`/`f-`/`r-`/`s-`) are the identifier spine — surfaced in every result, accepted on input alongside internal integer IDs
- Feed lookups return only the latest feed version's freshness, not the full fetch history
- Coverage polygons and route/stop geometry are omitted; results carry a compact country/region/city place summary instead
Agent-friendly output:
- Real-time status is explicit: per-departure `realtime` and `scheduleRelationship`, plus a top-level `realtimeAvailable`
- Blank license fields come back as `unknown`/null, never inferred as permissive, and agents are told to confirm against the license URL before redistributing
- Upstream pagination URLs embed the API key; only the opaque `after` cursor is surfaced, so the key never reaches tool output or logs
- Empty results return an actionable notice (geocode first, widen the window, try a child platform) rather than an error
## Getting started
Add the following to your MCP client configuration file. A Transitland API key is required — see [Prerequisites](#prerequisites) for how to get one.
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"transitland-mcp-server": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "bunx",
"args": ["@cyanheads/transitland-mcp-server@latest"],
"env": {
"MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE": "stdio",
"MCP_LOG_LEVEL": "info",
"TRANSITLAND_API_KEY": "your-api-key"
}
}
}
}
```
Or with npx (no Bun required):
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"transitland-mcp-server": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@cyanheads/transitland-mcp-server@latest"],
"env": {
"MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE": "stdio",
"MCP_LOG_LEVEL": "info",
"TRANSITLAND_API_KEY": "your-api-key"
}
}
}
}
```
Or with Docker:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"transitland-mcp-server": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "docker",
"args": [
"run", "-i", "--rm",
"-e", "MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE=stdio",
"-e", "TRANSITLAND_API_KEY=your-api-key",
"ghcr.io/cyanheads/transitland-mcp-server:latest"
]
}
}
}
```
For Streamable HTTP, set the transport and start the server:
```sh
MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE=http MCP_HTTP_PORT=3010 TRANSITLAND_API_KEY=your-api-key bun run start:http
# Server listens at http://localhost:3010/mcp
```
### Prerequisites
- [Bun v1.4.0](https://bun.sh/) or higher (or Node.js v24+).
- A Transitland v2 API key — register at the [Transitland developer portal](https://www.transit.land/documentation). The free tier is rate-limited; the Pro tier raises the quota.
### Installation
1. **Clone the repository:**
```sh
git clone https://github.com/cyanheads/transitland-mcp-server.git
```
2. **Navigate into the directory:**
```sh
cd transitland-mcp-server
```
3. **Install dependencies:**
```sh
bun install
```
4. **Configure environment:**
```sh
cp .env.example .env
# edit .env and set TRANSITLAND_API_KEY
```
## Configuration
All configuration is validated at startup via Zod schemas in `src/config/server-config.ts`. A missing `TRANSITLAND_API_KEY` fails at startup with a banner naming the variable, not at the first tool call.
| Variable | Description | Default |
|:---|:---|:---|
| `TRANSITLAND_API_KEY` | **Required.** Transitland v2 API key, sent as the `apikey` query parameter. | — |
| `TRANSITLAND_BASE_URL` | Transitland REST API base URL. Override to pin a specific deployment or a self-hosted instance. | `https://transit.land/api/v2/rest` |
| `MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE` | Transport: `stdio` or `http`. | `stdio` |
| `MCP_HTTP_PORT` | Port for the HTTP server. | `3010` |
| `MCP_HTTP_ENDPOINT_PATH` | HTTP endpoint path where the MCP server is mounted. | `/mcp` |
| `MCP_AUTH_MODE` | Authentication mode: `none`, `jwt`, or `oauth`. | `none` |
| `MCP_LOG_LEVEL` | Log level (`debug`, `info`, `notice`, `warning`, `error`). | `info` |
| `LOGS_DIR` | Directory for log files (Node.js only). | `/logs` |
| `LOG_TOOL_FAILURE_PAYLOADS` | Log failed calls' arguments and result, redacted by key name (secrets in free-form values remain). Size capped by `LOG_TOOL_FAILURE_PAYLOAD_MAX_BYTES` (default `16384`). | `false` |
| `STORAGE_PROVIDER_TYPE` | Storage backend: `in-memory`, `filesystem`, `supabase`, `cloudflare-kv/r2/d1`. | `in-memory` |
| `OTEL_ENABLED` | Enable [OpenTelemetry instrumentation](https://github.com/cyanheads/mcp-ts-core/tree/main/docs/telemetry) (spans, metrics, completion logs). | `false` |
See [`.env.example`](./.env.example) for the full list of optional overrides.
HTTP sessions are stateless by default; set `MCP_SESSION_MODE` to override.
## Running the server
### Local development
- **Build and run:**
```sh
# One-time build
bun run rebuild
# Run the built server
bun run start:stdio
# or
bun run start:http
```
- **Run checks and tests:**
```sh
bun run devcheck # Lint, format, typecheck, security, changelog sync
bun run test # Vitest test suite
bun run lint:mcp # Validate MCP definitions against spec
```
### Docker
```sh
docker build -t transitland-mcp-server .
docker run --rm -e TRANSITLAND_API_KEY=your-key -p 3010:3010 transitland-mcp-server
```
The Dockerfile defaults to HTTP transport, stateless session mode, and logs to `/var/log/transitland-mcp-server`. OpenTelemetry peer dependencies are installed by default — build with `--build-arg OTEL_ENABLED=false` to omit them.
## Project structure
| Directory | Purpose |
|:---|:---|
| `src/index.ts` | `createApp()` entry point — registers tools and resources, inits the Transitland service. |
| `src/config` | Server-specific environment variable parsing and validation with Zod. |
| `src/mcp-server/tools` | Tool definitions (`*.tool.ts`). Six tools across operators, feeds, routes, stops, and departures. |
| `src/mcp-server/resources` | Resource definitions (`*.resource.ts`). Operator and feed records. |
| `src/services/transitland` | Transitland v2 REST client — HTTP, `apikey` injection, cursor normalization, error classification, and per-endpoint typed methods. |
| `tests/` | Unit and integration tests mirroring `src/`. |
## Development guide
See [`CLAUDE.md`](./CLAUDE.md) / [`AGENTS.md`](./AGENTS.md) for development guidelines and architectural rules. The short version:
- Handlers throw, framework catches — no `try/catch` in tool logic
- Use `ctx.log` for request-scoped logging, `ctx.state` for tenant-scoped storage
- Register new tools and resources via the barrels in `src/mcp-server/*/definitions/index.ts`
- Wrap the Transitland API: validate raw → normalize to domain type → return output schema; never fabricate missing fields (especially license terms — blanks are `unknown`, not permissive)
## Data & licensing
Transit data is provided by [Transitland](https://www.transit.land/terms) — an open registry aggregating GTFS, GTFS-Realtime, and GBFS feeds from thousands of operators worldwide. Products built on Transitland data must display the name "Transitland" with a link to [transit.land/terms](https://www.transit.land/terms), clearly visible to end users.
Transitland aggregates feeds from thousands of operators, each of which may carry its own license and attribution requirements. Review the per-feed license terms at [transit.land/terms](https://www.transit.land/terms) and comply with each source feed's requirements before redistributing or publishing data obtained through this server.
## Contributing
Issues are welcome. Run checks and tests before submitting:
```sh
bun run devcheck
bun run test
```
## License
Apache-2.0 — see [LICENSE](LICENSE) for details.