• ROUTE
  • TIMING
  • MODES
  • HUMAN

How to plan multimodal transit trips with your AI

Connect TransportAPI to your AI client to turn simple destination requests into detailed, multi-mode travel schedules.

Ask AI about this page

Short answer

How can I plan a trip using walking, cycling, and transit with my AI?

Your AI uses the get_journey_plan tool to pull real-time UK transit data and combine it with walking or cycling legs. You get a complete door-to-door itinerary that handles the transitions between different modes of transport. This breakdown shows how your agent builds those routes.

The outcomes

Where your trip details land

Depending on your prompt, your AI produces these specific outputs.

ROUTE

Complete itineraries

The AI uses get_journey_plan to find paths that mix walking, cycling, and public transport. You receive a step-by-step guide from your starting point to your destination.

TIMING

Arrival and departure times

Your agent calculates when to leave and how long each leg takes. It uses live transit data to ensure your schedule stays realistic.

MODES

Multi-mode combinations

The AI handles the logic of switching from a bike to a train or a walk to a bus. It builds a cohesive chain of transport rather than just single-mode trips.

HUMAN

Final route review

The AI presents the plan, but you decide if the walking distances or transfer times actually work for you. You make the final call on the itinerary.

The workflow

What your AI does when the request arrives.

The AI acts as the interface between your natural language and the UK transit data.

  1. Parse intent

    Your agent identifies your start point, destination, and preferred transport modes from your message.

    get_journey_plan

  2. Fetch transit data

    The AI calls the tool to pull real-time UK rail, bus, and cycling data for your specific route.

    get_journey_plan

  3. Stitch legs together

    The agent calculates the transitions between walking, cycling, and transit to create a single path.

    get_journey_plan

  4. Present itinerary

    Your AI translates the raw transit data into a readable, step-by-step travel plan.

    get_journey_plan

Try it

Copy these to start.

Use these prompts to trigger the planning process.

Starting points

Swap out the locations and transport modes in these examples to fit your actual trip.

TransportAPI Connector

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

Connector linkhttps://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_aEnDVP9vYpaRF0s62gmXVIgMCtfGkpxcqZqV4kLL/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-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_aEnDVP9vYpaRF0s62gmXVIgMCtfGkpxcqZqV4kLL/mcp"
    }
  }
}
Copy into chat04

  • Plan a trip from London Victoria to Brighton using a mix of walking and trains.

  • Find me a route from my current location to the nearest station using my bike.

  • How do I get to Manchester Piccadilly from Leeds using only public transit?

  • Build a multimodal itinerary for a trip from Bristol to Bath involving walking and buses.

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

Start here

Connect TransportAPI once, then ask.

You only need to link the MCP to your client once. After that, your agent can access UK transit data whenever you ask.

Connect TransportAPI to your AI

FAQ

How this task behaves

  • 01

    Can the AI book the train tickets for me?

    No. The AI can only plan the route and provide the timing; you must book tickets through the provider yourself.

  • 02

    Does it work for transit outside of the UK?

    No. This specific tool is built for UK transit data.

  • 03

    Can I tell the AI to avoid certain routes?

    Yes. You can include preferences like avoiding certain modes or specific walking distances in your prompt.

  • 04

    Will the AI change my personal calendar?

    No. The AI only reads transit data to build a plan. It cannot access or modify your personal apps or calendars.

  • 05

    Can it plan trips using electric scooters?

    No. The tool is limited to the modes supported by the API, such as walking, cycling, and standard public transit.

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

Connect TransportAPI to Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT & more