• LIVE DATA
  • LOCATION
  • PLANNING
  • HUMAN

How to track live UK transit departures with your AI

Connect TransportAPI to your agent to get live updates on trains and buses. Once linked, you can ask for arrival times using plain English.

Ask AI about this page

Short answer

How can I track UK trains and buses with my AI?

Your AI uses TransportAPI to pull live departure boards for specific stations or bus stops. You'll get real-time arrival info and nearby station locations.

Where your data lands

Transit outcomes

The AI turns raw transit feeds into these specific results.

LIVE DATA

Real-time arrivals

The AI pulls current departure times for trains or buses. You get the most recent status for your route.

LOCATION

Find nearby stops

Your agent identifies transport hubs near your current location. It finds the closest stations to help you plan your walk.

PLANNING

Route monitoring

The AI tracks specific departures so you know if a vehicle is running late. It keeps you updated on schedule changes.

HUMAN

Manual decisions

The AI provides the data, but you decide which route to take. You remain in control of your actual travel plans.

The workflow

What your AI does when you ask for transit info.

The AI acts as the bridge between your question and the live UK transit feeds.

  1. Locate stops

    If you don't know the exact station name, the AI finds nearby transport hubs to narrow down your request.

    get_nearby_transport_places

  2. Fetch train times

    The AI pulls the live departure board for any UK train station you specify.

    get_live_train_departures

  3. Fetch bus times

    For road travel, the AI retrieves real-time bus arrival and departure information.

    get_live_bus_departures

  4. Summarize status

    The AI reads the raw data and tells you exactly which vehicles are arriving next.

    get_live_train_departuresget_live_bus_departures

Try it

Copy these to start.

Use these prompts to test the connection.

Starting points

These are basic ways to start. Swap out the station names or bus routes for the ones you actually need.

TransportAPI Connector

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

Connector linkhttps://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_A7ZQbyLX3oS5tWkOj5ZwRNqG3jsQhrT7Q58iGEXg/mcp

Claude Desktop

Follow the steps below to connect in seconds.

  1. 1In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Connectors.
  2. 2Click “Add custom connector” and paste the connector link above as the remote MCP server URL.
  3. 3Click Add and start a new chat — TransportAPI capabilities are ready to use.
Configuration · claude_desktop_config.jsonCopy
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "transportapi-alternative-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_A7ZQbyLX3oS5tWkOj5ZwRNqG3jsQhrT7Q58iGEXg/mcp"
    }
  }
}
Copy into chat04

  • What are the next train departures from London Victoria?

  • Find me the nearest bus stops to my current location.

  • When is the next bus arriving at the stop near Piccadilly Circus?

  • Show me the live departure board for Manchester Piccadilly station.

  • Claude
  • ChatGPT
  • Cursor
  • VS Code
  • Windsurf
  • Claude Code
  • JetBrains
  • Cline

Start here

Connect TransportAPI once, then ask.

One click connects the MCP to your client. Your credentials stay encrypted, and you can start asking for transit data immediately.

Connect TransportAPI to your AI

FAQ

How the transit tracking behaves

  • 01

    Can the AI book a ticket for me?

    No. The AI can only read live departure and arrival data. You must book tickets through your preferred provider.

  • 02

    Does it work for all UK transport?

    It works for trains and buses covered by the TransportAPI feeds. It does not cover all local private shuttle services.

  • 03

    Can the AI change a departure time?

    No. The AI only retrieves real-time data. It cannot modify schedules or interact with transit operators.

  • 04

    How does it know where I am?

    The AI uses the get_nearby_transport_places tool to find stations based on the location you provide in your prompt.

  • 05

    Can I use this to track my car's location?

    No. This MCP is strictly for UK public transit like trains and buses.

  • More questions about TransportAPI? The Connector page answers them. See everything the TransportAPI Connector can do

Connect TransportAPI to Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT & more