API reference

Every endpoint TransCAPI exposes, with its parameters and response shape. For a runnable, always-current version of this generated from the server itself, see the OpenAPI document and the Swagger UI.

Conventions

Base URL	`https://api.transcapi.com`
Auth	`X-Api-Key` header, or `api_key` query parameter. See authentication.
Format	JSON. All endpoints are `GET`.
Timestamps	ISO 8601 with offset, e.g. `2026-08-05T16:41:00+01:00`.
Coordinates	WGS84 decimal degrees.
Rate limits	Per key, per minute, by tier. See rate limits.

List endpoints share a pagination envelope: page, limit, results_count and a member array of results. Pass page and limit to page through. Every response carries a request_time.

Errors use a consistent envelope and an HTTP status to match:

{ "error": { "code": "missing_api_key", "message": "Missing API key. ..." } }

See error codes for the full list.

Places

`GET /v1/places.json`

Search stops, settlements, postcodes and addresses across Great Britain. Combines NaPTAN stop data with geocoding. Supply a query, a lat/lon, or a bounding box.

Parameter	Default	Description
`query`	—	Free-text search term.
`type`	all	Repeatable. One of `bus_stop`, `train_station`, `tram_stop`, `settlement`, `postcode`.
`lat`, `lon`	—	Bias and sort results by distance from this point.
`min_lat`, `min_lon`, `max_lat`, `max_lon`	—	Bounding box. All four required together.
`limit`	`20`	1–100.
`page`	`1`

{
  "request_time": "2026-08-05T15:40:05Z",
  "query": "Sheffield",
  "page": 1, "limit": 1, "results_count": 1,
  "member": [
    {
      "type": "bus_stop",
      "name": "Airport Access Road/Hurst Lane",
      "description": "Doncaster Sheffield Airport",
      "latitude": 53.484269965,
      "longitude": -1.026033473,
      "atcocode": "370046721"
    }
  ]
}

distance (metres) is included on each result when lat/lon is supplied, and omitted otherwise.

Bus

`GET /v1/bus/stops.json`

Find bus, tram and rail stops near a point or within a bounding box. Nationwide, backed by NaPTAN.

Parameter	Default	Description
`lat`, `lon`	—	Centre point for a radius search.
`radius`	`400`	Metres from `lat`/`lon`.
`min_lat`, `min_lon`, `max_lat`, `max_lon`	—	Bounding box instead of a radius.
`type`	all	Repeatable stop type filter.
`limit`	`20`
`page`	`1`

{
  "member": [
    {
      "type": "bus_stop",
      "atcocode": "370027633",
      "naptan_code": "37027633",
      "name": "Leopold Street/Orchard Lane",
      "short_name": "Leopold Street",
      "indicator": "27633",
      "street": "Leopold Street",
      "locality": "Sheffield Centre",
      "town": "Sheffield",
      "latitude": 53.381315404,
      "longitude": -1.470926487,
      "distance": 59.8
    }
  ]
}

`GET /v1/bus/stop_timetables/{atcocode}.json`

Departures for a stop, combining the scheduled timetable with live BODS SIRI-VM vehicle positions.

Parameter	Default	Description
`atcocode`	required	In the path. NaPTAN ATCO code, e.g. `370023169`.
`datetime`	now	ISO 8601 anchor for the departure window.
`from_offset`	`0`	Window start, minutes relative to `datetime`.
`to_offset`	`60`	Window end, minutes.
`live`	`false`	Match live vehicles onto departures.
`limit`	`20`

{
  "atcocode": "370023169",
  "live_requested": true,
  "live_error": null,
  "departures": [
    {
      "line": "X1",
      "line_name": "X1",
      "operator": "First South Yorkshire",
      "destination": "Maltby",
      "direction": 0,
      "mode": "bus",
      "aimed_departure_time":    "2026-08-05T15:41:00+00:00",
      "expected_departure_time": "2026-08-05T15:41:00+00:00",
      "best_departure_estimate": "2026-08-05T15:41:00+00:00",
      "status": "on_time",
      "source": "siri_vm",
      "dated_vehicle_journey_ref": "VJfde1c8a6f4a5b81dfb398429a6ef7793",
      "live_vehicle": {
        "vehicle_ref": "FSYO-35126",
        "operator_ref": "FSYO",
        "latitude": 53.376426,
        "longitude": -1.471027,
        "bearing": "28",
        "destination_name": "Quilter_Road",
        "recorded_at_time": "2026-08-05T15:39:49+00:00"
      }
    }
  ]
}

Use best_departure_estimate when you want a single time to display: it is the live estimate where one exists and the timetabled time otherwise. source tells you which you got — siri_vm for live, gtfs_scheduled for timetable. live_vehicle is null on departures with no vehicle matched, and live_error is non-null if the live feed itself failed, so a feed outage is distinguishable from a quiet stop.

Rail

`GET /v1/rail/stations.json`

Find rail stations near a point or within a bounding box. Covers all of Great Britain (~2,600 stations). Stations are keyed by 3-letter CRS code.

Parameter	Default	Description
`lat`, `lon`	—	Centre point.
`radius`	`5000`	Metres.
`min_lat`, `min_lon`, `max_lat`, `max_lon`	—	Bounding box instead of a radius.
`limit`	`20`
`page`	`1`

{
  "member": [
    { "crs_code": "SHF", "name": "Sheffield",
      "latitude": 53.3782362148, "longitude": -1.4621101656, "distance": 558.9 }
  ]
}

`GET /v1/rail/station_timetables/{crs_code}.json`

Scheduled departures for a station.

Parameter	Default	Description
`crs_code`	required	In the path, e.g. `LDS`.
`datetime`	now	ISO 8601 anchor for the window.
`from_offset`	`0`	Minutes.
`to_offset`	`60`	Minutes.
`limit`	`20`

{
  "crs_code": "LDS",
  "station": { "crs_code": "LDS", "name": "Leeds",
               "latitude": 53.7956409037, "longitude": -1.5480300934 },
  "departures": [
    { "line": "NT", "line_name": "Northern", "operator": "Northern",
      "destination": "Bradford Forster Square", "mode": "rail",
      "aimed_departure_time": "2026-08-05T15:42:00+00:00",
      "status": "on_time", "source": "gtfs_scheduled" }
  ]
}

Rail is scheduled-timetable data only — there is no live rail feed integrated yet, so source is always gtfs_scheduled and there is no live parameter. Unlike bus, which does have live matching.

Journey planning

`GET /v1/journey.json`

Plan a door-to-door journey between two coordinates, with fare estimates and live vehicle positions. Covers South and West Yorkshire only, unlike the endpoints above — see the journey planning docs for the full detail on fares, live data and coverage.

Parameter	Default	Description
`from_lat`, `from_lon`	required	Origin.
`to_lat`, `to_lon`	required	Destination.
`datetime`	now	Departure, or arrival when `arrive_by=true`.
`arrive_by`	`false`
`transit_modes`	`tram,rail`	Optional sub-modes. Bus and coach always searched.
`modes`	`walk,bicycle`	Non-transit alternatives.
`include_fares`	`true`
`include_live`	`true`
`include_intermediate_stops`	`false`
`max_walk_distance`	—	Metres. Caps the longest single walking leg.
`max_total_walk_distance`	—	Metres. Caps total walking across the journey.
`include_steps`	`false`	Turn-by-turn directions on walking legs.
`limit`	`5`	1–20.

{
  "coverage": { "area": "South and West Yorkshire",
                "bbox": [53.2989, -2.1755, 53.9649, -0.8529] },
  "next_available": false,
  "itineraries": [
    {
      "start_time": "2026-08-05T16:36:36+01:00",
      "end_time":   "2026-08-05T17:09:14+01:00",
      "duration_s": 1958.0,
      "fare": { "amount_gbp": 2.80, "complete": true },
      "legs": [ /* see journey planning docs */ ]
    }
  ],
  "alternatives": { "walk": { "itineraries": [] },
                    "bicycle": { "itineraries": [] } }
}

An origin or destination outside the covered area returns 422 outside_coverage rather than an empty list, so "we don't plan here yet" is distinguishable from "no journeys found".

Disruptions

`GET /v1/disruptions.json`

Planned works, incidents and line status, merging the national BODS SIRI-SX situation feed with TfL's line status. See the disruptions docs for the response shape and the caveats on matching a situation to a service.

Parameter	Default	Description
`mode`	all	`bus`, `tram`, `rail`, `tube`, `dlr`, `overground`, `elizabeth-line`.
`severity`	all	`severe`, `minor`, `information`, `good`, `unknown`.
`atcocode`	—	Only situations naming this stop.
`operator`, `line`	—	Substring match.
`lat`, `lon`, `radius`	2000 m	Max 50000. Both `lat` and `lon`, or neither.
`min_lat`, `min_lon`, `max_lat`, `max_lon`	—	Bounding box instead of a radius.
`path`	—	Encoded polyline (precision 5). Only situations naming a stop near it, matched on their complete stop list.
`path_radius`	300 m	How far off the path a stop may be. Maximum 5000.
`planned`	both	`true` for works only, `false` for incidents only.
`active_only`	`true`	Exclude situations outside their validity period.
`include_good_service`	`false`	Include healthy TfL lines.
`limit`, `page`	50	Maximum 100 per page.

Ordered most disruptive first, then most recently raised. Only situations naming a stop with coordinates can match a geographic query. National Rail engineering works are not covered.

Service

`GET /health`

Unauthenticated liveness check. Returns {"status": "ok"}.

`GET /openapi.json`

The OpenAPI 3.0 document for this API, generated from the running server. Unauthenticated.