How to Use the TfL MCP in Claude

Q: How do I check service reliability using TfL and Claude Desktop?

You call getlinestatus first. This gives you a system-wide view of the network's health, listing status severity for every major line. You instantly know if there are any severe delays across modes.

Q: Can Claude Desktop help me plan journeys involving TfL bike sharing?

Yep. The getjourney tool handles biking legs and also lets you use getbikepoints. You can plan the whole trip, from the tube station to the final destination using a Santander Cycle dock.

Q: If I need real-time data on road closures affecting TfL and Claude Desktop?

Use getroaddisruptions. This tool finds incidents, roadworks, or utility issues across London. It tells you the affected segments, severity level, and even suggests alternative driving paths.

Q: Does this MCP Server help me find specific Tube stations in TfL and Claude Desktop?

Absolutely. getplacesearch is your go-to for finding any point of interest, including TubeStations. You just need to filter the search by place type.

Get real-time London transit status and bike availability directly into your workflow with Claude Desktop.

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Connect TfL MCP to Claude Desktop

Create your Vinkius account to connect TfL to Claude Desktop — we handle the hosting, security, and runtime updates so you don't have to. No server setup required.

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Setup TfL with Claude Desktop

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Check live TfL service status via MCP Server

Need to know if the Victoria Line is running good? Use `get_line_status` to pull current service severity for any TfL line. You get back detailed info on disruptions, reason codes, and whether it’s just minor delays or totally suspended. This tool lets you check multiple modes—tube, bus, overground, etc.—all at once. It tells you the overall reliability picture before your agent plans anything.

Plan multi-modal trips with Claude Desktop

Planning a trip from Paddington to Greenwich? Call `get_journey` and get back multiple options combining tubes, buses, bikes, and walking. Each result includes total time, fare estimates, and even CO2 savings data. It doesn't just give you the fastest path; it gives step-by-step instructions for every leg of the way, which is huge when coordinating complex multi-modal travel.

Find specific London points using MCP Server

Searching for a station or a park near Westminster? `get_place_search` finds it. You can filter by place type—Museum, TubeStation, Park—and get back coordinates and addresses. This is perfect for building out location-based features or just confirming the exact ID needed to query arrivals later.

Setup guide

Set up TfL 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 TfL 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 TfL 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 tfl-mcp.

json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "tfl-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 TfL. 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 TfL MCP in Claude Desktop

You call `get_line_status` first. This gives you a system-wide view of the network's health, listing status severity for every major line. You instantly know if there are any severe delays across modes.

Yep. The `get_journey` tool handles biking legs and also lets you use `get_bike_points`. You can plan the whole trip, from the tube station to the final destination using a Santander Cycle dock.

Use `get_road_disruptions`. This tool finds incidents, roadworks, or utility issues across London. It tells you the affected segments, severity level, and even suggests alternative driving paths.

Absolutely. `get_place_search` is your go-to for finding any point of interest, including TubeStations. You just need to filter the search by place type.

The primary data types handled are operational status feeds (line status), geographic coordinates, and predicted arrival timestamps. It doesn't deal with personal user travel history.

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