# MTA MCP for AI Agents AI Agent Connect > MTA gives your AI agent a direct line into the New York City transit system. You can track subway trains, get live bus arrival predictions, and monitor LIRR or Metro-North status without switching apps. It pulls real-time GTFS-RT data so your agent knows exactly where vehicles are, which stations are delayed, and what service alerts are currently active across the entire NYC metro area. ## Overview - **Category:** data-analytics - **Price:** Free - **Endpoint:** https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_W0KyBAp5uG8oiefho9mLKiE9JK8rTKLOIBzxbb24/ai-agent-connect - **Tags:** real-time-transit, gtfs-rt, public-transportation, arrival-predictions, service-alerts, commuter-rail ## Description This Connector connects your AI agent to the official New York City transit data platform, giving you a direct line into the city's public transportation network. You can ask your agent to find live subway train positions, get real-time bus arrival predictions, or check for service disruptions across the various commuter rail lines. It handles the heavy lifting of parsing live feeds so you get straight answers about what's happening on the ground. Instead of jumping between different apps to see if your train is delayed, you can just stay in your current workspace and get the facts. By connecting this through the Vinkius catalog, you can connect your AI client once and get access to this and thousands of other tools. It can tell you which buses are approaching a specific stop, list all subway stations in a borough, and provide alternative routes when the system hits a snag. It's built for anyone who needs to know exactly how the city is moving without the friction of manual searching. You can get a full layout of every bus route in the city, find the exact coordinates of subway entrances, and see the real-time speed and heading of every active bus. It removes the guesswork from your daily commute and lets you focus on your day instead of your transit status. ## Tools ### get_service_alerts Get current service alerts and disruptions across the MTA system. It lets you see active incidents and recommended alternative routes. ### get_bus_estimated_arrival Get estimated arrival times for buses at a stop, optionally filtered by route. This helps you see exactly when your bus will arrive. ### get_bus_predictions Get next bus arrival predictions for a specific bus stop. Use this to see if a bus is running on schedule or experiencing delays. ### get_bus_routes List all NYC bus routes including service areas and operator types. This helps you quickly identify which lines serve your specific neighborhood. ### get_bus_stops Get all stops for a specific bus route with coordinates and sequence info. Use this to find the exact location of any stop along a line. ### get_bus_vehicle_at_stop Get buses currently at or approaching a specific bus stop. This is useful for seeing exactly how far away your ride is. ### get_bus_vehicles Get real-time positions of all active MTA bus vehicles. You can use this to see the speed and heading of every bus in the fleet. ### get_lirr_feed Get real-time LIRR train data from the Long Island Rail Road. This provides updates on positions, delays, and disruptions for all branches. ### get_metro_north_feed Get real-time Metro-North Railroad train data. This gives you live status on positions and delays for all northern lines. ### get_stations List all NYC Subway stations with details like borough and entrance coordinates. This helps you find the best entry point for a specific station. ### get_subway_feed Get real-time subway feed data for specific NYC Subway lines. This pulls live train positions and trip updates for specific routes. ### get_system_time Get the current MTA Bus Time system timestamp. This is used to sync clocks and verify that your connection is active. ## Prompt Examples **Prompt:** ``` Are there any issues with the LIRR right now? ``` **Response:** ``` Checking MTA service alerts... There are currently 2 active alerts for the LIRR: * **Babylon Branch** — Trains experiencing 10-15 minute delays due to an earlier signal problem at Jamaica. * **Port Jefferson Branch** — Track work in effect between Huntington and Northport, expect single-tracking with 20 minute delays through 11:00 PM tonight. All other branches are running on schedule. ``` **Prompt:** ``` What's the status of the M15 bus at 14th and 3rd? ``` **Response:** ``` Looking up M15 route stops... Found stop ID 308238 at 14 St/3 Av. **Live Predictions:** * **M15 SBS Southbound** to South Ferry — arriving in 2 minutes * **M15 Local Southbound** — arriving in 8 minutes * **M15 SBS Northbound** to East Harlem — arriving in 12 minutes All vehicles currently on schedule. ``` ## Capabilities ### Track live subway train positions See exactly where trains are on specific lines and how many stops away they are. ### Get real-time bus arrival predictions Find out how many minutes remain until the next bus arrives at your specific stop. ### Monitor LIRR and Metro-North status Get live updates on commuter rail positions and delays for all major branches. ### Pull active service alerts Check for current delays, maintenance, or incidents across the entire MTA system. ### List all NYC subway stations Retrieve geographic coordinates and entrance details for all 472 subway stations. ### Track live GPS coordinates of buses View the real-time location and speed of active MTA buses across the city. ## Use Cases ### The Rush Hour Planner A commuter asks 'Is the LIRR running okay?' and the agent provides a summary of all active delays and branch statuses. ### The Lost Tourist Someone asks 'How do I get to Times Square by bus?' and the agent lists nearby stops and live arrivals. ### The Data Researcher An analyst asks for a list of all stations in Brooklyn to study neighborhood connectivity. ### The Event Goer A user checks if the subway is running normally before heading to a concert in the Bronx. ## Benefits - Get instant answers on subway delays using get_subway_feed without opening a separate browser tab. - See exactly where your bus is on the map using get_bus_vehicles for better trip planning. - Stay ahead of service disruptions with get_service_alerts to find alternative routes before you get stuck. - Quickly find the nearest station and entrance details using get_stations while exploring the city. - Monitor LIRR and Metro-North commuter rail status via get_lirr_feed and get_metro_north_feed. - Get precise wait times for specific bus stops using get_bus_predictions to coordinate your morning routine. ## How It Works The bottom line is you get a real-time NYC transit dashboard inside your favorite AI chat. 1. Subscribe to the MTA MCP and grab your free API key from the developer portal. 2. Plug that key into your AI client's configuration. 3. Ask your agent for live transit updates or route info. ## Frequently Asked Questions **Can my AI check when the next subway train is arriving at my station?** Yes! Use the `get_subway_feed` tool with the appropriate feed ID for your line. Feed IDs are grouped: "1" covers lines 1,2,3,4,5,6,S; "2" covers A,C,E; "3" covers B,D,F,M; "4" is G; "5" is J,Z; "6" covers N,Q,R,W; "7" is L; "11" is Staten Island Railway. This returns real-time GTFS-RT data with train positions, trip updates, scheduled vs. real-time arrivals, and delay information. For station-level predictions, combine with `get_stations` to find your station code first. **How do I check when the next MTA bus is arriving at a specific stop?** First use `get_bus_stops` with a route ID to find the stop ID (MonitoringRef) for your location. Then use `get_bus_predictions` with that stop ID to get real-time estimated arrival times, route information, destinations, and delay indicators. For more targeted predictions, use `get_bus_estimated_arrival` which allows filtering by both stop ID and route ID. Stop IDs are numeric identifiers assigned by MTA to each physical bus stop across NYC. **Are there any service disruptions affecting my subway line or bus route right now?** Use `get_service_alerts` to check all active service disruptions across the MTA system. This returns alerts with affected lines and stations, disruption descriptions, severity levels, cause types (maintenance, incident, weather, special events, construction), start and end timestamps, and alternative service recommendations. Covers NYC Subway, buses, LIRR, and Metro-North. Always check this before planning any journey to ensure you are aware of delays, planned work, or service changes.