How to Use the TransportAPI MCP in Claude

Q: How do I use TransportAPI with Claude Desktop to plan a trip?

You call the getjourneyplan tool. Just give it two points, like 'Manchester Piccadilly' and 'Old Trafford.' The MCP Server figures out the optimal route using bus, rail, or tram combinations. It returns a complete, structured itinerary for your AI agent.

Q: Does TransportAPI support checking train arrivals with Claude Desktop?

Yep. You can use getrailarrivals to track incoming trains at any National Rail station. The data includes the train operating company, scheduled time, real-time ETA, and if there are delays or cancellations. This is great for airport coordination.

Q: What kind of detailed stop metadata can Claude Desktop get from TransportAPI?

The getstopinfo tool gives you deep details on a bus stop, including its location, served lines, type (bus station vs. simple stop), and accessibility features. This contextual data helps your agent narrow down location-based queries.

Q: Can Claude Desktop access the full timetable for a specific bus line?

Absolutely. gettimetable handles that. You provide a route number, and it returns all scheduled services from origin to terminus. It even tracks variations between weekdays, weekends, and holidays.

Plan complex UK journeys instantly using TransportAPI with Claude Desktop.

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Connect TransportAPI MCP to Claude Desktop

Create your Vinkius account to connect TransportAPI to Claude Desktop and route execution through our secure gateway. The platform manages server hosting, runtime updates, and security layers. Configuration requires no manual server provisioning.

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Setup TransportAPI with Claude Desktop

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Plan multi-modal trips via the MCP Server.

Need to get someone from London Victoria to Heathrow? Use `get_journey_plan`. This tool handles everything: buses, trains, tubes, walking. It spits out a full itinerary showing total duration, how many transfers are needed, and specific details for each leg of the trip. It's perfect for writing travel guides or building passenger information systems. You get departure/arrival times, line names, operator info, even real-time disruption notices built right into the plan.

Check bus arrivals and departures.

`get_bus_arrivals` gives you a list of incoming services at any UK stop. You get the line name, number, origin, scheduled time, real-time ETA, expected wait times, and if there are delays. It's essential for coordinating passenger pickups or building live arrival boards. You can also check upcoming departures with `get_bus_departures`. This covers services across Great Britain—London Buses, West Midlands, etc.—and tells you what’s leaving the stop next.

Monitor service disruptions.

Before planning anything, run `get_updates`. It pulls active alerts for bus, rail, and underground services across Great Britain. You get affected lines, descriptions of the disruption, severity levels, expected duration, and alternative routes recommended. This capability is key for reliability monitoring. Your agent can check service status before telling a user they need to leave—it's better than being wrong.

Setup guide

Set up TransportAPI MCP in Claude Web or Desktop

1

Open Claude Settings

Go to claude.ai, click your profile icon, then navigate to Customize → Connectors.
2

Add Custom Connector

Click the "+" button and select Add custom connector. Paste your Vinkius endpoint URL: https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your token from cloud.vinkius.com. For OAuth-protected servers, expand Advanced settings to add credentials.
3

Start a conversation

Open a new chat. The TransportAPI MCP tools are available immediately — no restart needed.

Endpoint URL

https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp

No configuration file needed — paste the URL directly in the Claude web interface.

Available on Free (1 connector), Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise plans.

Prerequisites

Claude Desktop installed (macOS or Windows)
Active Vinkius subscription with a valid endpoint token

1

Open Claude Desktop Settings

Click the menu icon at the top-left corner, go to Settings → Developer → Edit Config. This opens claude_desktop_config.json in your default text editor.
2

Paste the TransportAPI MCP configuration

Copy the JSON snippet on the right into the mcpServers object. Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your endpoint token from cloud.vinkius.com.
3

Restart Claude Desktop

Close and reopen the application. Claude needs a full restart to load new MCPs — refreshing a conversation is not enough.
4

Verify the connection

Open a new conversation. Click the 🔌 icon at the bottom of the message input. You should see tools listed under transportapi-mcp.

json

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

Get your connection token →

Independent Platform Disclaimer: Vinkius is an independent platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, verified by, or otherwise authorized by TransportAPI. All third-party trademarks, logos, and brand names are the property of their respective owners. Their use on this website is strictly for informational purposes to identify service compatibility and interoperability.

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Common questions about TransportAPI MCP in Claude Desktop

You call the `get_journey_plan` tool. Just give it two points, like 'Manchester Piccadilly' and 'Old Trafford.' The MCP Server figures out the optimal route using bus, rail, or tram combinations. It returns a complete, structured itinerary for your AI agent.

Yep. You can use `get_rail_arrivals` to track incoming trains at any National Rail station. The data includes the train operating company, scheduled time, real-time ETA, and if there are delays or cancellations. This is great for airport coordination.

The `get_stop_info` tool gives you deep details on a bus stop, including its location, served lines, type (bus station vs. simple stop), and accessibility features. This contextual data helps your agent narrow down location-based queries.

Absolutely. `get_timetable` handles that. You provide a route number, and it returns all scheduled services from origin to terminus. It even tracks variations between weekdays, weekends, and holidays.

This MCP Server handles publicly available transit data, including stop names, line numbers, scheduled times, real-time ETAs, and disruption descriptions. It doesn't process personal user travel history.

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