Do I need to know GIS code to use this MCP?

No. You don't need to write complex GIS code. Your AI client handles the calls to the underlying services. You just talk to your agent using natural language.

What kind of data can I get from the routing capability?

The routing capability calculates the total distance, estimated travel time, and provides turn-by-turn directions between multiple specified stops.

Does this MCP only work with specific AI clients?

No. As long as your client is MCP-compatible, it can connect to this catalog and use the capabilities. It works with Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and VS Code.

Can I find points of interest in different categories?

Yes. You can specify the category, such as 'Hospital' or 'Restaurant,' along with a location and a search radius.

Is the data accurate?

The MCP connects to professional ArcGIS location services, ensuring the data for geocoding, routing, and place searching is highly accurate.

How do I get an ArcGIS API key?

Log in to the ArcGIS Developer Dashboard, create or select an application, and generate an API key. Configure the scopes you need (geocoding, routing, places, elevation). Free tier includes generous usage limits.

Can I calculate driving directions?

Yes! Use get_route with stops specified as semicolon-separated longitude,latitude pairs. For example, '-77.0365,38.8977;-74.0060,40.7128' for Washington DC to NYC. Optionally set travel mode to Driving, Trucking or Walking.

Can I find nearby places?

Yes! Use search_places with a location (longitude,latitude) and optionally a category like 'Coffee Shop', 'Restaurant', 'Gas Station' or 'Hotel'. Set the radius in meters to control the search area. Returns places with names, addresses, categories and distances.

Can I get elevation data?

Yes! Use get_elevation with locations specified as semicolon-separated longitude,latitude pairs. Returns elevation in meters for each location. You can query multiple locations in a single request.

An astronaut overseeing a futuristic data hub

Download PDF Markdown Version

Connect ArcGIS (Alternative) to ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini

Set it up once and it works in ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, and any other client you love. It all runs safely in the background, so you can relax and focus on what really matters. Turn location data into actionable insights instantly.

Ask AI about this Connector

Developed, maintained, and hosted by Vinkius.

MCP VERIFIED · PRODUCTION READY · VINKIUS GUARANTEED

Waiting for input…

Works with modern AI clients that support MCP, including ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, and more.

Your AI does the work. We keep it safe and sound.

No other AI tool gives you this. Your workflow runs in the client you already love, your account stays protected, and you decide what the agent can and cannot do. It is the whole reason to make the switch.

Each Connector lives inside our infrastructure, the same place where your workflow runs. The three things below are already part of it, working quietly in the background so you never have to think about them. Nothing to add, nothing to set up, nothing to worry about.

V8 Isolate01

Each Connector runs inside its own sealed environment.

Each Connector runs inside its own sealed V8 runtime — no access to your files, your system, or other servers. A Connector never sees past its own request.

Kill Switch02

One switch stops every agent. Instantly.

One action deactivates every Connector, revokes every token, and ends every session at once. AI Governance keeps the record.

FinOps per User03

Spending limits that pause instead of surprise.

Every user keeps their own connections and credentials, isolated from everyone else. Anything that would cross your spending limit is held for your approval, not billed.

Three controls, built into the layer your AI connects through.

Curated set · 6 capabilities

We ship only the actions that matter.

Capability set01 / 02

01-03

3 capabilities in this set.

Part of 6 available through ArcGIS.

01
Geocode address
Accepts free-form address text like "1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington DC" or "Eiffel Tower, Paris". Returns candidate matches with coordinates, address components and confidence scores. Useful for mapping and location-based queries. Geocode an address to coordinates
02
Get basemap styles
Each style includes its name, description, thumbnail URL and style ID. Useful for discovering map styles for visualization projects. List available basemap styles
03
Get elevation
Accepts locations as semicolon-separated "longitude,latitude" pairs. Returns elevation in meters for each location. Useful for terrain analysis, hiking planning and geographic research. Get elevation data for locations

Capability set02 / 02

04-06

3 capabilities in this set.

Part of 6 available through ArcGIS.

04
Get route
Stops are specified as semicolon-separated "longitude,latitude" pairs (e.g. "-77.0365,38.8977;-74.0060,40.7128" for Washington DC to NYC). Optionally set travel mode (driving, trucking, walking). Returns route geometry, total distance, total travel time and turn-by-turn directions. Get driving directions between stops
05
Reverse geocode
Accepts location as "longitude,latitude" (e.g. "-77.0365,38.8977" for Washington DC). Returns the nearest address, place name and location details. Useful for identifying locations from GPS coordinates. Reverse geocode coordinates to address
06
Search places
Accepts a location ("longitude,latitude") and optional category (e.g. "Coffee Shop", "Restaurant", "Gas Station", "Hotel", "Hospital") and search radius in meters. Returns nearby places with names, addresses, categories and distances. Search for places near a location

Real work

What teams actually run

Optimizing Delivery Routes

Instead of manually plotting stops, ask your AI client to calculate the most efficient driving route between a list of addresses.

Market Research

Need to know how many coffee shops are near a new retail site? Use the place search capability to get a count and list of nearby competitors.

Academic Mapping

For a study on local topography, ask the MCP to retrieve the elevation data for several points across a region.

Data Validation

If you only have a set of GPS coordinates, use reverse geocoding to validate them and find the nearest known address.

Automate a task

Put ArcGIS to work on one thing.

Step-by-step automations your AI runs through this Connector: the workflow, the prompts to start with, and the exact capabilities behind each move.

One connector, every AI

ArcGIS works with the most popular AI clients.

These are the most popular clients, each with a step-by-step guide: one link, set up once, with governance and visibility built in. And because everything runs on the MCP standard, the same connection also works in any other compatible client — nothing to rebuild.

Building your own app? The connector is yours to use.

You don't need a client to put ArcGIS to work: the same hosted connection plugs into your own applications and agent code, with the same governance on every request. Build with it, chat with it — one connection for both.

Observed, not estimated

951ms average. Fast in production.

ArcGIS is checked daily against the live service.

Daily averagePeak 1054ms

Oct 3Today

Fastest day: 734ms
Slowest day: 1054ms
14-day trend: Stable0%

Connect your client

One URL. Every client.

Activate the Connector, copy your link, and paste it into the client you already use. 6 capabilities arrive ready to run.

Preview access · not provider authentication

The vk_preview_* token belongs to Vinkius preview infrastructure. It lets Claude discover and display the capabilities of ArcGIS, so you can see the experience inside your AI.

It does not authenticate your account with ArcGIS. Actions requiring credentials or live account data may not run until you activate the Connector and authorize the service.

ArcGIS Connector

You're all set. Choose your MCP client and follow the setup instructions.

Connector linkhttps://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_ml84tEmk63YxDgZWdSUjIcZwgsVdo7W8h8ORiuJ0/mcp

Claude Desktop

Follow the steps below to connect in seconds.

1In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Connectors.
2Click “Add custom connector” and paste the connector link above as the remote MCP server URL.
3Click Add and start a new chat — ArcGIS capabilities are ready to use.

Configuration · claude_desktop_config.jsonCopy

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "arcgis-alternative-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_ml84tEmk63YxDgZWdSUjIcZwgsVdo7W8h8ORiuJ0/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Claude
ChatGPT
Cursor
VS Code
Windsurf
Claude Code
JetBrains
Cline

Step-by-step instructions for each client are in the guide. How to connect

Guided setup for Claude? Set up ArcGIS in Claude and other AIs

See all the AI clients this connector works with ↑

Who it's for

Built for the work ArcGIS owners hand off.

This MCP is built for professionals who deal with physical locations, from urban planners to travel agents. If your job involves figuring out 'where' or 'how far,' this capability saves you from complex mapping software. Your AI client handles the geometry and data retrieval for you.

01
Developers
Quickly geocode addresses, calculate routes, and find places without writing complex GIS code.
02
Analysts
Explore elevation data, reverse geocode coordinates, and discover nearby points of interest for research.
03
Travel Planners
Get driving directions, estimate travel times, and find places along a planned route.
04
Researchers
Access geographic data for academic work, urban planning, and detailed geographic studies.

FAQ

Questions ArcGIS owners ask.

01
Do I need to know GIS code to use this MCP?
No. You don't need to write complex GIS code. Your AI client handles the calls to the underlying services. You just talk to your agent using natural language.
02
What kind of data can I get from the routing capability?
The routing capability calculates the total distance, estimated travel time, and provides turn-by-turn directions between multiple specified stops.
03
Does this MCP only work with specific AI clients?
No. As long as your client is MCP-compatible, it can connect to this catalog and use the capabilities. It works with Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and VS Code.
04
Can I find points of interest in different categories?
Yes. You can specify the category, such as 'Hospital' or 'Restaurant,' along with a location and a search radius.
05
Is the data accurate?
The MCP connects to professional ArcGIS location services, ensuring the data for geocoding, routing, and place searching is highly accurate.
06
How do I get an ArcGIS API key?
Log in to the ArcGIS Developer Dashboard, create or select an application, and generate an API key. Configure the scopes you need (geocoding, routing, places, elevation). Free tier includes generous usage limits.
07
Can I calculate driving directions?
Yes! Use get_route with stops specified as semicolon-separated longitude,latitude pairs. For example, '-77.0365,38.8977;-74.0060,40.7128' for Washington DC to NYC. Optionally set travel mode to Driving, Trucking or Walking.
08
Can I find nearby places?
Yes! Use search_places with a location (longitude,latitude) and optionally a category like 'Coffee Shop', 'Restaurant', 'Gas Station' or 'Hotel'. Set the radius in meters to control the search area. Returns places with names, addresses, categories and distances.
09
Can I get elevation data?
Yes! Use get_elevation with locations specified as semicolon-separated longitude,latitude pairs. Returns elevation in meters for each location. You can query multiple locations in a single request.

Explore

More in Industry Titans

Connect ArcGIS to Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT & more

Your AI does the work. We keep it safe and sound.

Each Connector runs inside its own sealed environment.

One switch stops every agent. Instantly.

Spending limits that pause instead of surprise.

We ship only the actions that matter.

01-03

Geocode address

Get basemap styles

Get elevation

04-06

Get route

Reverse geocode

Search places

What teams actually run

Optimizing Delivery Routes

Market Research

Academic Mapping

Data Validation

Building your own app? The connector is yours to use.

ArcGIS Connector

Claude Desktop

Developers

Analysts

Travel Planners

Researchers

Do I need to know GIS code to use this MCP?

What kind of data can I get from the routing capability?

Does this MCP only work with specific AI clients?

Can I find points of interest in different categories?

Is the data accurate?

How do I get an ArcGIS API key?

Can I calculate driving directions?

Can I find nearby places?

Can I get elevation data?

Mapbox (Maps & Geospatial) AI Connector

ArcGIS AI Connector

CARTO AI Connector

Data.gov Catalog AI Connector

Suggestions

Jawg Maps (Location & Routing) AI Connector

Data Pipeline Prover AI Connector

LocationIQ (Geocoding & Maps) AI Connector

HERE (Location & Maps) AI Connector