How to Use the WMATA MCP in VS Code Copilot

Q: How do I check WMATA bus delays using VS Code Copilot?

Run getbusincidents to get an immediate report. This tool details the incident type, affected route IDs (like 30N), and provides recommendations for alternative services right in your chat window.

Q: What is the best way to list all WMATA stations using VS Code Copilot?

Use getrailstations. This function lists every Metrorail station, and you can filter by line code (Red, Yellow, Green) if your team needs to focus on a specific segment of the network.

Q: Can I plan park-and-ride trips for WMATA using VS Code Copilot?

Yes. Use getparkinglots. You can query all available lots or filter by a station code to see how many spaces are open at that specific location, helping your team guide drivers.

Q: When using VS Code Copilot, what data does WMATA provide on entrances?

The getstationentrances tool gives street-level details. It includes entrance names, full addresses, and coordinates, plus whether the entrance even has elevator or escalator access.

Q: If I need WMATA arrival predictions, what do I use with VS Code Copilot?

For trains at a specific station, run getstationprediction. For buses, use getcircuitpredictions to get predicted minutes of arrival at key transfer points like Union Station.

Manage WMATA trip data across teams using VS Code Copilot Chat.

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Connect WMATA MCP to VS Code Copilot

Create your Vinkius account to connect WMATA to VS Code Copilot 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 WMATA with VS Code Copilot

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Real-Time Vehicle Location

Need to know where the buses are? `get_bus_positions` returns vehicle IDs, route IDs, and current lat/long coordinates. This makes it straightforward for developers building internal tracking tools. You can filter by route ID, or query all vehicles system-wide. For full context, pair this with `get_bus_route_details`. It shows the ordered list of stops for that route, allowing your team to validate if a reported position is even on the correct path.

Systematic Route Discovery

When onboarding new features, start by listing all available lines using `get_bus_routes`. This gives you the core IDs for DC, Maryland, and Virginia services. You can then use those IDs to call `get_bus_route_details` for every line in your project. If you need station geography, run `get_rail_stations`. Filter by line code (like Orange or Blue) to build out a reliable map of the entire Metrorail network structure.

Comprehensive Incident Reporting

Copilot Chat can manage service disruptions using multiple tools. Check for train issues with `get_rail_incidents` (delay, power). Simultaneously, check bus status via `get_bus_incidents`. Comparing these results lets your team give users a unified view of the entire WMATA system's health. Accessibility checks are covered by `get_elevator_incidents`, which tracks outages at specific stations. This is vital for compliance and making sure all staff understand current limitations.

Setup guide

Set up WMATA MCP in VS Code Copilot

Prerequisites

VS Code 1.99 or later with GitHub Copilot extension
Active Vinkius subscription with a valid endpoint token

1

Open MCP configuration

Open the Command Palette (Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P) and run "MCP: Add Server". Select HTTP (Streamable) as the server type. VS Code will create .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace.
2

Add the WMATA MCP

Paste the JSON snippet shown on the right into your .vscode/mcp.json. Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your endpoint token from cloud.vinkius.com.
3

Switch to Agent mode

Open Copilot Chat (Cmd+Shift+I / Ctrl+Shift+I) and switch to Agent mode using the dropdown. MCP tools are only available in Agent mode — they do not appear in Edit or Ask modes.
4

Verify the connection

In the Copilot Chat input, type # to list available tools. You should see the WMATA tools listed. Try asking: "List my recent WMATA transactions" and Copilot will invoke them automatically.

.vscode/mcp.json

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

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Common questions about WMATA MCP in VS Code Copilot

Run `get_bus_incidents` to get an immediate report. This tool details the incident type, affected route IDs (like 30N), and provides recommendations for alternative services right in your chat window.

Use `get_rail_stations`. This function lists every Metrorail station, and you can filter by line code (Red, Yellow, Green) if your team needs to focus on a specific segment of the network.

Yes. Use `get_parking_lots`. You can query all available lots or filter by a station code to see how many spaces are open at that specific location, helping your team guide drivers.

The `get_station_entrances` tool gives street-level details. It includes entrance names, full addresses, and coordinates, plus whether the entrance even has elevator or escalator access.

For trains at a specific station, run `get_station_prediction`. For buses, use `get_circuit_predictions` to get predicted minutes of arrival at key transfer points like Union Station.

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