GTFS format time in the wild.
March 30, 2025 at 2:13 AM
GTFS format time in the wild.
Just published a new blog post:
Handling GTFS (General Transit Feed Specification) data with @duckdb.org
tobilg.com/handling-gtf...
Handling GTFS (General Transit Feed Specification) data with @duckdb.org
tobilg.com/handling-gtf...
Handling GTFS data with DuckDB
The General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) is a standardized, open data format for public transportation schedules and geographic information. In practice, a GTFS feed is simply a ZIP archive of text (CSV) tables - such as stops.txt, routes.txt, a...
tobilg.com
May 18, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Just published a new blog post:
Handling GTFS (General Transit Feed Specification) data with @duckdb.org
tobilg.com/handling-gtf...
Handling GTFS (General Transit Feed Specification) data with @duckdb.org
tobilg.com/handling-gtf...
really exciting news from the 2026 International Mobility Data Summit: Google is officially transferring ownership of GTFS to MobilityData!
mobilitydata.org/transit-open...
mobilitydata.org/transit-open...
Transit open standard format GTFS transferred to MobilityData, Making the World’s Leading Transit Data Standard Canadian Owned and Globally Used | MobilityData
Google has transferred ownership of the General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) to MobilityData, the international non-profit that has developed and maintained the standard since 2019.
mobilitydata.org
September 23, 2026 at 3:55 PM
really exciting news from the 2026 International Mobility Data Summit: Google is officially transferring ownership of GTFS to MobilityData!
mobilitydata.org/transit-open...
mobilitydata.org/transit-open...
GoVolta qui n'a toujours pas publié de son plan de transport en France au format NeTeX ou au moins GTFS alors que c'est une obligation légale (NeTeX est le format officiel, GTFS est accepté), alors qu'ils commencent leur service ici le 14 décembre… impossible d'avoir une réponse à ce sujet ☹️
September 21, 2026 at 9:11 AM
GoVolta qui n'a toujours pas publié de son plan de transport en France au format NeTeX ou au moins GTFS alors que c'est une obligation légale (NeTeX est le format officiel, GTFS est accepté), alors qu'ils commencent leur service ici le 14 décembre… impossible d'avoir une réponse à ce sujet ☹️
Getting a handle on Bus OpenData in GTFS format. Not so much duckdb yet...
October 28, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Getting a handle on Bus OpenData in GTFS format. Not so much duckdb yet...
Now in Australia it's GTFS timetable data. And there is a train that has broken it. GTFS is a global standard for the interchange of public transport timetables. All our public transport agencies use it and they publish train, tram, bus and ferry timetables in this format for download. (3/12)
January 17, 2025 at 6:01 AM
Now in Australia it's GTFS timetable data. And there is a train that has broken it. GTFS is a global standard for the interchange of public transport timetables. All our public transport agencies use it and they publish train, tram, bus and ferry timetables in this format for download. (3/12)
It’s crazy how every agency has its own little “approach” to laying out and publishing GTFS and so few agencies make the best use of the format and available options. Like you can actually implement transfer times/distances directly in GTFS but so very few do.
GTFS standard is too loose IMHO.
GTFS standard is too loose IMHO.
April 20, 2025 at 7:49 PM
It’s crazy how every agency has its own little “approach” to laying out and publishing GTFS and so few agencies make the best use of the format and available options. Like you can actually implement transfer times/distances directly in GTFS but so very few do.
GTFS standard is too loose IMHO.
GTFS standard is too loose IMHO.
Hehe… 😅
Kudos for your work on making GTFS data readily available in DuckDB, by the way. Absolutely fabulous sample data for teaching purposes. Very motivating for students to touch data that immediately relates to their everyday life (public transport, say).
tobilg.com/handling-gtf...
Kudos for your work on making GTFS data readily available in DuckDB, by the way. Absolutely fabulous sample data for teaching purposes. Very motivating for students to touch data that immediately relates to their everyday life (public transport, say).
tobilg.com/handling-gtf...
Handling GTFS data with DuckDB
The General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) is a standardized, open data format for public transportation schedules and geographic information. In practice, a GTFS feed is simply a ZIP archive of text (CSV) tables - such as stops.txt, routes.txt, a...
tobilg.com
May 20, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Hehe… 😅
Kudos for your work on making GTFS data readily available in DuckDB, by the way. Absolutely fabulous sample data for teaching purposes. Very motivating for students to touch data that immediately relates to their everyday life (public transport, say).
tobilg.com/handling-gtf...
Kudos for your work on making GTFS data readily available in DuckDB, by the way. Absolutely fabulous sample data for teaching purposes. Very motivating for students to touch data that immediately relates to their everyday life (public transport, say).
tobilg.com/handling-gtf...
South Australian regional bus & ferry timetable data now published in GTFS format means SA regional timetables are now being released on the railmaps website
First two:
Kangaroo Island ferry & connecting buses
railmaps.com.au/routedetails...
Port Lincoln & Ceduna
railmaps.com.au/routedetails...
First two:
Kangaroo Island ferry & connecting buses
railmaps.com.au/routedetails...
Port Lincoln & Ceduna
railmaps.com.au/routedetails...
June 2, 2026 at 10:20 AM
South Australian regional bus & ferry timetable data now published in GTFS format means SA regional timetables are now being released on the railmaps website
First two:
Kangaroo Island ferry & connecting buses
railmaps.com.au/routedetails...
Port Lincoln & Ceduna
railmaps.com.au/routedetails...
First two:
Kangaroo Island ferry & connecting buses
railmaps.com.au/routedetails...
Port Lincoln & Ceduna
railmaps.com.au/routedetails...
Hab mich dann fürs Format GTFS entschieden, weil recht gut dokumentiert und "einfacher" als NeTEx und vermutlich ausreichend für meine Zwecke sowie als csv auch recht easy lesbar.
gtfs.org/documentatio...
gtfs.org/documentatio...
Reference - General Transit Feed Specification
gtfs.org
May 25, 2026 at 12:31 PM
Hab mich dann fürs Format GTFS entschieden, weil recht gut dokumentiert und "einfacher" als NeTEx und vermutlich ausreichend für meine Zwecke sowie als csv auch recht easy lesbar.
gtfs.org/documentatio...
gtfs.org/documentatio...
If you want to get GTFS into a database format to be able to query the number of trips to a specific stop, you can use github.com/BlinkTagInc/...
GitHub - BlinkTagInc/node-gtfs: Import GTFS transit data into SQLite and query routes, stops, times, fares and more.
Import GTFS transit data into SQLite and query routes, stops, times, fares and more. - BlinkTagInc/node-gtfs
github.com
February 12, 2026 at 6:51 AM
If you want to get GTFS into a database format to be able to query the number of trips to a specific stop, you can use github.com/BlinkTagInc/...
NJT has alluded to still utilizing a proprietary schedule format that predates GTFS.
NJT was broke during precisely the window of time when the industry standardized itself on utilizing GTFS and live GTFS standards - I wouldn’t be surprised if it missed out on an Obama-era grant to modernize.
NJT was broke during precisely the window of time when the industry standardized itself on utilizing GTFS and live GTFS standards - I wouldn’t be surprised if it missed out on an Obama-era grant to modernize.
January 7, 2026 at 5:05 PM
NJT has alluded to still utilizing a proprietary schedule format that predates GTFS.
NJT was broke during precisely the window of time when the industry standardized itself on utilizing GTFS and live GTFS standards - I wouldn’t be surprised if it missed out on an Obama-era grant to modernize.
NJT was broke during precisely the window of time when the industry standardized itself on utilizing GTFS and live GTFS standards - I wouldn’t be surprised if it missed out on an Obama-era grant to modernize.
- have GTFS data on Google Maps that is years outdated, with trains on inoperable lines and completely inaccurate times
- publish actual station schedules at the stations only
- have each station schedule in a different format
- 🤡
2/2
- publish actual station schedules at the stations only
- have each station schedule in a different format
- 🤡
2/2
November 13, 2023 at 4:43 AM
- have GTFS data on Google Maps that is years outdated, with trains on inoperable lines and completely inaccurate times
- publish actual station schedules at the stations only
- have each station schedule in a different format
- 🤡
2/2
- publish actual station schedules at the stations only
- have each station schedule in a different format
- 🤡
2/2
so, CTA does not (yet) produce GTFS-RT data, their realtime data is published in a proprietary API format from their vendor. but the cancelations are in that feed. (CTA does produce GTFS *schedule* data but that's not relevant for realtime cancelations.)
August 5, 2025 at 10:52 PM
so, CTA does not (yet) produce GTFS-RT data, their realtime data is published in a proprietary API format from their vendor. but the cancelations are in that feed. (CTA does produce GTFS *schedule* data but that's not relevant for realtime cancelations.)
🚀 DuckDB Ecosystem: June 2025 — just out! 🦆
Big news: DuckLake — a new table format powered by pure SQL + open formats.
Also in this issue:
✅ GTFS transit data
✅ MinIO lakehouse
✅ CSV reader win
and much more...
👉 motherduck.com/blog/duckdb-...
Big news: DuckLake — a new table format powered by pure SQL + open formats.
Also in this issue:
✅ GTFS transit data
✅ MinIO lakehouse
✅ CSV reader win
and much more...
👉 motherduck.com/blog/duckdb-...
DuckDB Ecosystem: June 2025 - MotherDuck Blog
DuckDB Monthly #30: DuckDB's new table format, Radio extension and more! | Reading time: 7 min read
motherduck.com
June 6, 2025 at 6:42 PM
🚀 DuckDB Ecosystem: June 2025 — just out! 🦆
Big news: DuckLake — a new table format powered by pure SQL + open formats.
Also in this issue:
✅ GTFS transit data
✅ MinIO lakehouse
✅ CSV reader win
and much more...
👉 motherduck.com/blog/duckdb-...
Big news: DuckLake — a new table format powered by pure SQL + open formats.
Also in this issue:
✅ GTFS transit data
✅ MinIO lakehouse
✅ CSV reader win
and much more...
👉 motherduck.com/blog/duckdb-...
honestly I seriously do wonder if GTFS would have had as big adoption had NETEX gone with another data transmission format
January 2, 2025 at 1:36 AM
honestly I seriously do wonder if GTFS would have had as big adoption had NETEX gone with another data transmission format
TrainTime is great, but more of that information needs to be in the GTFS/-RT feeds so it can be accessible in a more familiar format
Having to download and decipher how to read an app for each new city (or 8+ apps for NYC) is a big hurdle for tourists.
Having to download and decipher how to read an app for each new city (or 8+ apps for NYC) is a big hurdle for tourists.
June 25, 2025 at 12:12 PM
TrainTime is great, but more of that information needs to be in the GTFS/-RT feeds so it can be accessible in a more familiar format
Having to download and decipher how to read an app for each new city (or 8+ apps for NYC) is a big hurdle for tourists.
Having to download and decipher how to read an app for each new city (or 8+ apps for NYC) is a big hurdle for tourists.
I know this is kind of a long shot, but is there anyone out there who has experience working with GTFS and GTFS-RT transit feeds? I understand the format but I can’t figure out how to actually access the data from certain places (BART for example)
July 11, 2023 at 6:09 AM
I know this is kind of a long shot, but is there anyone out there who has experience working with GTFS and GTFS-RT transit feeds? I understand the format but I can’t figure out how to actually access the data from certain places (BART for example)
Timetable data for the opening of Melbourne Metro Tunnel has now been published in GTFS format. So it's now available to third party apps and websites
Here's how a weekday timetable looks on Railmaps
railmaps.com.au/routedetails...
Note that trains are all defined as running to or from Town Hall.
Here's how a weekday timetable looks on Railmaps
railmaps.com.au/routedetails...
Note that trains are all defined as running to or from Town Hall.
November 21, 2025 at 12:56 AM
Timetable data for the opening of Melbourne Metro Tunnel has now been published in GTFS format. So it's now available to third party apps and websites
Here's how a weekday timetable looks on Railmaps
railmaps.com.au/routedetails...
Note that trains are all defined as running to or from Town Hall.
Here's how a weekday timetable looks on Railmaps
railmaps.com.au/routedetails...
Note that trains are all defined as running to or from Town Hall.
MTA publishes this GTFS-RT data. Not sure if that’s where they got it but it’s where I’d get it if I was building something like this.
MTA Datafeeds
Real-time data for NYC Subway, LIRR, Metro-North, and MTA service alerts in GTFS-RT format
api.mta.info
February 15, 2025 at 2:53 AM
MTA publishes this GTFS-RT data. Not sure if that’s where they got it but it’s where I’d get it if I was building something like this.
Providing data in the standard format will hopefully improve the quality somewhat since I suspect apps like Google have some custom handling for CTA right now, if they can use their core GTFS-RT functionality that might improve accuracy or user experience for what you see
April 30, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Providing data in the standard format will hopefully improve the quality somewhat since I suspect apps like Google have some custom handling for CTA right now, if they can use their core GTFS-RT functionality that might improve accuracy or user experience for what you see
So.. Das große Problem ist folgendes. Ich versuch es leicht zu erklären.
GTFS ist ein Format für ÖV Daten von Google entwickelt.
Im Endeffekt sind es nur Textdateien. Das Problem ist aber, wie man sieht, dass die Textdateien bis zu 1GB groß sind.
GTFS ist ein Format für ÖV Daten von Google entwickelt.
Im Endeffekt sind es nur Textdateien. Das Problem ist aber, wie man sieht, dass die Textdateien bis zu 1GB groß sind.
April 27, 2025 at 3:04 PM
So.. Das große Problem ist folgendes. Ich versuch es leicht zu erklären.
GTFS ist ein Format für ÖV Daten von Google entwickelt.
Im Endeffekt sind es nur Textdateien. Das Problem ist aber, wie man sieht, dass die Textdateien bis zu 1GB groß sind.
GTFS ist ein Format für ÖV Daten von Google entwickelt.
Im Endeffekt sind es nur Textdateien. Das Problem ist aber, wie man sieht, dass die Textdateien bis zu 1GB groß sind.
I suspect at least part of it could be related to the fact that CTA does not publish realtime data in the standard GTFS-RT format and instead provides APIs in a custom format, so third party apps showing realtime data for CTA may have some extra custom tooling to support the feed format
April 19, 2025 at 5:10 PM
I suspect at least part of it could be related to the fact that CTA does not publish realtime data in the standard GTFS-RT format and instead provides APIs in a custom format, so third party apps showing realtime data for CTA may have some extra custom tooling to support the feed format
Eigentlich Fahrplandaten und Echtzeitdaten alle europäischen bahnbetreiber am besten im GTFS Format.
April 27, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Eigentlich Fahrplandaten und Echtzeitdaten alle europäischen bahnbetreiber am besten im GTFS Format.