How do I get a Mapbox Access Token?

Sign up for a free account at [**account.mapbox.com**](https://account.mapbox.com/access-tokens/), go to **Access Tokens** and create a new token. Copy the token — it starts with `pk.`.

Can I get driving directions?

Yes! Use get_directions with coordinates and the 'driving' profile. Returns route distance, duration, step-by-step instructions and geometry. Also supports 'walking' and 'cycling' profiles.

What are isochrones used for?

Isochrones show the area reachable within a specific time or distance from a location. Useful for delivery zones, commute analysis, real estate proximity and accessibility planning.

Mapbox MCP Server for VS Code Copilot 8 tools — connect in under 2 minutes

Name: Mapbox
Availability: InStock
Author: Vinkius

code.visualstudio.com/docs/copilot/chat/mcp-servers

Built by Vinkius GDPR 8 Tools IDE

GitHub Copilot in VS Code is the most widely adopted AI coding assistant, embedded directly into the world's most popular code editor. With MCP support in Agent mode, Copilot can access external data and APIs to generate context-aware code grounded in real-time information.

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The modern way to manage MCP Servers — no config files, no terminal commands. Install Mapbox and 2,500+ MCP Servers from a single visual interface.

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Classic Setup·json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mapbox": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
    }
  }
}

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* Every MCP server runs on Vinkius-managed infrastructure inside AWS - a purpose-built runtime with per-request V8 isolates, Ed25519 signed audit chains, and sub-40ms cold starts optimized for native MCP execution. See our infrastructure

About Mapbox MCP Server

Connect to Mapbox and access world-class location services through natural conversation.

GitHub Copilot Agent mode brings Mapbox data directly into your VS Code workflow. With a project-scoped config, the entire team shares access to 8 tools. Copilot queries live data, generates typed code, and writes tests from actual API responses, all without leaving the editor.

What you can do

Geocoding — Convert addresses, place names and POIs to coordinates and structured addresses
Reverse Geocoding — Convert GPS coordinates to human-readable addresses
Directions — Get driving, walking and cycling routes with step-by-step instructions
Distance Matrix — Calculate travel times and distances between multiple locations
Isochrones — Show areas reachable within a specific time or distance
Elevation — Get elevation data for any coordinates
Static Maps — Generate map image URLs for any location
Nearby Search — Find points of interest near coordinates

The Mapbox MCP Server exposes 8 tools through the Vinkius. Connect it to VS Code Copilot in under two minutes — no API keys to rotate, no infrastructure to provision, no vendor lock-in. Your configuration, your data, your control.

How to Connect Mapbox to VS Code Copilot via MCP

Follow these steps to integrate the Mapbox MCP Server with VS Code Copilot.

Create MCP config

Create a .vscode/mcp.json file in your project root

Add the server config

Paste the JSON configuration above

Enable Agent mode

Open GitHub Copilot Chat and switch to Agent mode using the dropdown

Start using Mapbox

Ask Copilot: "Using Mapbox, help me...". 8 tools available

Why Use VS Code Copilot with the Mapbox MCP Server

GitHub Copilot for Visual Studio Code provides unique advantages when paired with Mapbox through the Model Context Protocol.

VS Code is used by over 70% of developers. adding MCP tools to Copilot means your team can leverage external data without leaving their primary editor

Project-scoped MCP configs (`.vscode/mcp.json`) let you commit server configurations to your repository, ensuring the entire team shares the same tool access

Copilot's Agent mode integrates MCP tools seamlessly with file editing, terminal commands, and workspace search in a single agentic loop

GitHub's enterprise compliance and audit features extend to MCP tool usage, providing visibility into how AI interacts with external services

Mapbox + VS Code Copilot Use Cases

Practical scenarios where VS Code Copilot combined with the Mapbox MCP Server delivers measurable value.

Live API integration: Copilot can query an MCP server, inspect the response schema, and generate typed API client code in the same step

DevSecOps workflows: security teams can give developers access to domain intelligence tools directly in their editor for real-time vulnerability assessment during code review

Data pipeline development: Copilot fetches sample data via MCP and generates transformation scripts, validators, and test fixtures from actual API responses

Documentation generation: Copilot queries available tools and auto-generates README sections, API reference docs, and usage examples

Mapbox MCP Tools for VS Code Copilot (8)

These 8 tools become available when you connect Mapbox to VS Code Copilot via MCP:

geocode

Returns the place name, coordinates, address components (street, city, state, postal code, country), place type and bounding box. Use this to find coordinates for use with directions, distance matrix and other tools. Convert a place name to coordinates

get_directions

Returns route distance, duration, geometry, step-by-step instructions and maneuver data. Supports driving (mapbox/driving), walking (mapbox/walking) and cycling (mapbox/cycling) profiles. Coordinates are semicolon-separated "longitude,latitude" pairs (e.g. "-77.0365,38.8977;-74.006,40.7128" for DC to NYC). Get driving, walking or cycling directions

get_distance_matrix

Useful for logistics, delivery routing and travel planning. Returns a matrix of durations (seconds) and distances (meters) between all source-destination pairs. Coordinates are semicolon-separated "lon,lat" pairs. Supports driving, walking and cycling profiles. Get travel times between multiple origins and destinations

get_elevation

Useful for hiking, aviation and geographic research. Coordinates are comma-separated "lon,lat" pairs. Get elevation for coordinates

get_isochrone

Returns polygon contours showing the reachable area. Useful for determining service areas, commute ranges and accessibility. Coordinates are "lon,lat". Get reachable area within a time or distance

get_static_map

Returns a direct image URL that can be used in markdown, HTML or downloaded. Supports customizable zoom level and image dimensions. Generate a static map image for a location

reverse_geocode

Returns the nearest address, city, state, country and other location details. Convert coordinates to an address

search_nearby

Returns nearby places with names, addresses, categories, distances and coordinates. Use query to search for specific types of places (e.g. "restaurant", "gas station", "hotel"). Search for places near coordinates

Example Prompts for Mapbox in VS Code Copilot

Ready-to-use prompts you can give your VS Code Copilot agent to start working with Mapbox immediately.

"Geocode '1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington DC'."

"Get driving directions from San Francisco to Los Angeles."

"Show me the area reachable within 15 minutes driving from Times Square, NYC."

Troubleshooting Mapbox MCP Server with VS Code Copilot

Common issues when connecting Mapbox to VS Code Copilot through the Vinkius, and how to resolve them.

MCP tools not available

Ensure you are in Agent mode in Copilot Chat. MCP tools only appear in Agent mode.

Mapbox + VS Code Copilot FAQ

Common questions about integrating Mapbox MCP Server with VS Code Copilot.

Which VS Code version supports MCP?

MCP support requires VS Code 1.99 or later with the GitHub Copilot extension. Ensure both are updated to the latest version. Older versions of Copilot may not expose the Agent mode toggle.

How do I switch to Agent mode?

Open the Copilot Chat panel and look for two mode options: "Ask" and "Agent". Click "Agent" to enable autonomous tool calling. In Ask mode, Copilot provides conversational answers but cannot invoke MCP tools.

Can I restrict which MCP tools Copilot can access?

Yes. VS Code shows a tool consent dialog before any MCP tool is invoked for the first time. You can also configure tool access policies at the organization level through GitHub Copilot settings.

Does MCP work in VS Code Remote or Codespaces?

Yes. MCP servers configured via .vscode/mcp.json work in Remote SSH, WSL, and GitHub Codespaces environments. The MCP connection is established from the remote host, so ensure the server URL is accessible from that environment.