GTFS-to-GeoJSON

Export a GTFS Schedule feed as GeoJSON layers for QGIS, web maps and spatial analysis. By default you get a route line layer and a served stop point layer for each input source. You can also export individual trip shapes, GTFS Flex service areas, buffers and dissolved coverage polygons.

!Caltrain route lines and served stops beside a detail of 400-meter station buffers

Browse example GeoJSON · Web version · Migrate from v3

Quick start

Use Node.js 22.18+ on the 22.x line, or Node.js 24+. These examples use a local GTFS ZIP. An extracted feed directory also works.

npx gtfs-to-geojson --input ./gtfs.zip --source-id metro --output ./maps

Open maps/metro/route-lines.geojson or maps/metro/stop-points.geojson in your GIS. Each file is a GeoJSON FeatureCollection in longitude, latitude order. For one file containing both, pass --layer network.

# Export actual shape paths and stop points for each route and direction
npx gtfs-to-geojson --input ./gtfs.zip --output ./directions \
  --group-by route-direction --layer shape-lines --layer stop-points
Export from an existing node-GTFS v5 database
npx gtfs-to-geojson --database ./transit.sqlite --source-id metro \
  --service-date 20260914 --layer stop-coverage --output ./coverage

Use --url for a remote archive. The CLI reads ./config.json if present, or the file given by --config. CLI options override the file. Direct input replaces the source list. Relative paths resolve from the working directory. Progress and warnings go to stderr. Help and version go to stdout. Run gtfs-to-geojson --help for all flags.

Configuration

Copy config-sample.json to config.json, set the feed location, and run gtfs-to-geojson. config-sample-full.json shows two sources, a persistent database and multiple layers.

{
  "sources": [{ "sourceId": "metro", "schedule": { "path": "./gtfs.zip" } }],
  "export": {
    "outputDirectory": "./maps",
    "groupBy": "route",
    "layers": ["route-lines", "stop-points"]
  }
}

The shared database, sources[].schedule, extensions and reporting groups use node-GTFS v5 instance and Schedule options. For example, put HTTP headers in schedule.requestHeaders and duplicate handling in schedule.import.validation.onDuplicateKey. Enable GTFS+ explicitly with "extensions": ["gtfs-plus"].

A source with a schedule imports before export. A source containing just sourceId reads previously imported data. The database defaults to in-memory SQLite. One source can omit its ID and use default. Multiple sources require distinct IDs. Set export.sourceId to select one.

| Export option | Default | Meaning | | -------------------- | -------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | outputDirectory | ./geojson | Dedicated destination containing one subdirectory per source. | | groupBy | source | source, route, route-direction or shape. | | layers | ["route-lines", "stop-points"] | One file per selected layer in each group. | | serviceDate | All service | Numeric YYYYMMDD. Uses weekday service and calendar exceptions. | | serviceDateRange | All service | Numeric { "start": 20260101, "end": 20260131 }. Either endpoint may be omitted. Includes trips active on at least one day. Choose a date or a range. | | bufferRadiusMeters | 400 | Distance from the original point or line to the edge of its buffer. | | coordinateDecimals | Full precision | Round exported coordinates to 0–15 decimal places after spatial operations. Use enough precision to retain small features. | | archive | false | Also write geojson.zip, preserving the layer paths. | | overwrite | false | Replace a previous export after generation succeeds. An unrelated file in the output directory blocks replacement. |

For example, a route-direction export writes metro/route-direction/R/0/stop-points.geojson. Trips with a blank direction use unspecified. Unsafe filename characters and case collisions get a hash suffix. The original IDs remain in feature properties. The output manifest lists generated files relative to the destination.

Layers

The maps show the same illustrative feed at the same scale. It has two fixed routes, three shapes, six stops and one Flex zone. The buffers use a 400-meter radius. Select a layer name to inspect its GeoJSON.

| Layer | Example | What each feature represents | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | route-lines
MultiLineString | | One feature per route. Route A includes both of its branches. Shared segments appear once within each route. | | shape-lines
LineString | | One feature per original GTFS shape, preserving point order. The two variants of route A appear as separate features. | | stop-points
Point | | One feature per served stop with coordinates. Each point lists its serving routes. | | network
MultiLineString and Point | | Route lines and served stop points in a single collection. | | route-buffers
Polygon or MultiPolygon | | One 400-meter buffer per route. Overlapping routes retain separate polygons. | | route-coverage
Polygon or MultiPolygon | | Route buffers dissolved into one feature per group. The shared corridor has one boundary. | | stop-buffers
Polygon or MultiPolygon | | One 400-meter buffer per stop. Nearby stops have overlapping circles. | | stop-coverage
Polygon or MultiPolygon | | Stop buffers dissolved into one feature per group. Nearby circles merge and isolated areas remain separate parts. | | bounding-box
Polygon | | The smallest axis-aligned rectangle containing the route lines. | | convex-hull
Polygon | | The smallest convex polygon enclosing the served stops. Its edges connect the outermost stops. | | service-areas
Polygon or MultiPolygon | | A GTFS Flex zone supplied in locations.geojson. Grouped and date-filtered exports select zones through stop_times.location_id. |

When a trip lacks usable shape geometry, route-line layers connect its ordered stop coordinates. Actual shape layers contain only shapes from the feed. Stop and shape metadata retain the serving-route list from node-GTFS, even when a filter selects fewer trips. Empty layers are valid empty FeatureCollections. A degenerate hull or bounding box emits a warning.

JavaScript and TypeScript

pnpm add gtfs-to-geojson

import { exportGeoJSON } from 'gtfs-to-geojson';
const { outputDirectory, files } = await exportGeoJSON({
  sources: [{ sourceId: 'metro', schedule: { path: './gtfs.zip' } }],
  export: { outputDirectory: './maps', layers: ['stop-coverage'] },
});
console.log(outputDirectory, files); // files includes metro/stop-coverage.geojson

The API returns { outputDirectory, files, archivePath? } and rejects on failure. It is silent unless you pass a node-GTFS reporter in reporting.reporter. TypeScript callers can import GeoJSONConfig, GeoJSONExportOptions, GroupBy and Layer.

Examples and development

The Caltrain examples were generated from the April 2016 test feed. Compare the four route features with the eight raw shape features, or inspect the 64 stop buffers beside their single dissolved coverage feature. Regenerate the Caltrain examples and the layer gallery with pnpm run examples from a checkout.

SFMTA benchmark · Contributing · Changelog · MIT license