GTFS

General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) is a digital exchange format developed by Google for timetables used for public passenger transport services and relevant geographical information, such as locations of stops. Data is supplied by transport companies and published as an accumulated database in GTFS format on the Open Data Platform Swiss Public Transport. The data is used to develop applications relating to public transport, such as timetable queries.

Unlike GTFS Realtime (GTFS RT), GTFS Static, as the name suggests, only provides static data and no real-time data.

This static file is first used to present a country’s entire public transport operation in a single feed.

Technical description

GTFS Static is provided in ZIP format using a series of text files. Each file provides information about a particular aspect of the transit information, for instance, stops (stops.txt), routes (routes.txt), journeys (trips.txt), transport companies (agency.txt) and other timetable-related data. Some information is required to provide valid GTFS data, while other information is optional and provides useful additional information (e.g. changes to the timetable on specific public holidays = calendar_dates.txt).

The diagram below illustrates how the different types of information interact, showing that, at present, not all information has been recorded for public transport in Switzerland and is available in GTFS Format.

GTFS Static classes

Access the relevant dataset at: https://opentransportdata.swiss/de/dataset/timetable-2021-gtfs2020

Key concepts

• GTFS Realtime Publication of static transit information in GTFS format.
• GTFS Realtime: Publication of real-time information to enhance the static GTFS Data, in the form of protocol buffers.

Technical aspects

Data structure

Each file comprises comma-separated rows of texts and numbers, which combine to provide the information being sought. A comprehensive description is provided of the individual fields in the various files on the following website: https://developers.google.com/transit/gtfs/reference/

The following files are currently provided for the GTFS export for public transport in Switzerland:

• agency.txt.
• calendar.txt.
• calendar_dates.txt
• feed_info.txt
• routes.txt
• stop_times.txt
• stops.txt
• transfers.txt being (being drafted)
• trips.txt

The following are not available: fare_attributes.txt, fare_rules.txt, feed_info.txt and frequencies.txt

Agency.txt.

calendar.txt

calendar_dates.txt

feed_info.txt

routes.txt

Please note:

• Some routes in GTFS have an extension “-Y”. The reason for this is that they have a line number which has been created artificially. This is the only way that “route_short_name” can be valid. These artificial lines should therefore not be shown to users. In the case of trains, “trip_short_name” will include the train number.

The means of transport texts which are used (the variable route_desc contains informationen of the column “Abbreviation”):

Abbreviation	DE	FR	IT	EN	Ref_TransportMode	route_type
ASC	Aufzug	Ascenseur	Ascensore	Lift / Elevator	A	1700
B	Bus	Autobus	Autobus	Bus	B	700
BN	Nachtbus	Bus de nuit	Autobus notturno	Night Bus	B	705
BP	PanoramaBus	Bus panoramique	PanoramaBus	Panorama Bus	B	710
BUS	Bus	Autobus	Autobus	Bus	B	700
CAR	Fernbus national	Bus longue distance national	Autobus nazionale a lunga percorrenza	National long-distance bus	B	202
CAX	Fernbus international	Bus grandes lignes international	Autobus a lunga percorrenza internazionale	International long-distance bus	B	201
EB	Eilbus	Bus express	Autobus espresso	Semi fast bus	B	702
EXB	Expressbus	Expressbus	Expressbus	Express bus	B	702
ICB	InterCity-Bus	Bus InterCity	Autobus InterCity	InterCity Bus	B	202
KB	Kleinbus	Minibus	Furgoncino	Minibus	B	700
NB	Nacht-Bus	Bus de nuit	Bus notturno	Night Bus	B	705
NFB	Niederflur-Bus	Bus à plancher surbaissé	Bus a pianale ribassato	Low-floor bus	B	700
NFO	Niederflur-Trolleybus	Trolleybus à plancher surbaissé	Filobus a pianale ribassato	Low-floor trolley bus	B	700
RUB	Rufbus	Bus sur appel	Bus a chiamata	On-demand Bus	B	715
TX	Taxi	Taxi	Tassì	Taxi	B	1500
SL	Sesselbahn	Télésiège	Seggiovia	Chairlift	E	1300
CC	Zahnradbahn	Chemin de fer à crémaillère	Ferrovia a cremagliera	Rack-railroad / Cog Railway	H	1400
GB	Gondelbahn	Télécabine	Ovovia	Gondola lift	L	1300
LB	Luftseilbahn	Téléphérique	Funivia	Cableway / Aerial Ropeway	L	1300
PB	Pendelbahn	Téléphérique à mouvement de va-et-vient	Funivia a movimento va e vieni	Aerial Tramway	L	1300
M	Metro	Métro	Metropolitana	Underground / Metro	M	401
FUN	Standseilbahn	Funiculaire	Funicolare	Funicular	N	1400
BAT	Schiff	Bateau	Battello	Ship / Boat	S	1000
BAV	Dampfschiff	Bateau à vapeur	Battello a vapore	Steam ship / boat	S	1000
FAE	Fähre	Traversier / Ferry	Nave traghetto	Ferry	S	1000
KAT	Katamaran	Catamaran	Catamarano	Katamaran	S	1000
NFT	Niederflur-Tram	Tram à plancher surbaissé	Tram a pianale ribassato	Low-floor Tramway	T	900
T	Tram	Tram	Tram	Tram	T	900
TN	Nachttram	Tram de nuit	Tram notturno	Night Tram	T	900
AIR	Flugzeug	Avion	Velivolo	Airplane	U	1100
UUU	Unbekannte Art	Espèce inconnue	Specie sconosciuta	Unknown mode	U	1700
AG	Agenturzug	Train de l’agence	Treno d’agenzia	Agency Train	Z	117
ARC	Arco	ARCO	ARCO	Arco	Z	102
ARZ	Autoreisezug	Train d’autos accompagnées	Treno auto accompagnate	Car-carrying Train	Z	104
AT	Autotunnelzug	Train-autos Tunnel	Treno per il trasporto di auto in galleria	Auto Tunnel Train	Z	104
ATR	Altaria	Altaria	Altaria	Altaria	Z	102
ATZ	Autotunnelzug	Train-autos Tunnel	Treno per il trasporto di auto in galleria	Auto Tunnel Train	Z	104
AVE	Alta Velocidad ES	Alta Velocidad ES	Alta Velocidad ES	Alta Velocidad ES	Z	101
BEX	Bernina Express	Bernina Express	Bernina Express	Bernina Express	Z	107
CAT	City Airport Train	City Airport Train	Treno città-aeroporto	City Airport Train	Z	111
CNL	CityNightLine	CityNightLine	CityNightLine	CityNightLine	Z	105
D	Schnellzug	Train Express	Treno espresso	Fast Train	Z	103
E	Eilzug	Train accéléré	Treno espresso	Semi fast / non-stop Train	Z	103
EC	EuroCity	EuroCity	EuroCity	EuroCity	Z	102
EM	Euromed	Euromed	Euromed	Euromed	Z	102
EN	EuroNight	EuroNight	EuroNight	EuroNight	Z	105
ES	Eurostar Italia	Eurostar Italia	Eurostar Italia	Eurostar Italia	Z	101
EST	Eurostar	Eurostar	Eurostar	Eurostar	Z	101
EXT	Extrazug	Train spécial	Treno speciale	Special Event Train	Z	117
GEX	Glacier Express	Glacier Express	Glacier Express	Glacier Express	Z	107
IC	InterCity	InterCity	InterCity	InterCity	Z	102
ICE	InterCityExpress	InterCity-Express	InterCityExpress	InterCityExpress	Z	102
ICN	IC-Neigezug	Train pendulaire IC	Treno basculante IC	IC Tilting Train	Z	102
IN	InterCityNacht	Nuit InterCity	InterCityNight	InterCityNight	Z	102
IR	InterRegio	InterRegio	InterRegio	InterRegio	Z	103
IRE	Interregio-Express	InterregioExpress	Interregio-Express	Interregio-Express	Z	103
IT	Italo	Italo	Italo	Italo	Z	102
JAT	Gefängniszug	Train-prison	Treno della prigione	Jail / Prison Train	Z	111
MAT	LeermaterialZug (Reisezugswagen)	Train de matériel vide (voiture de voyageurs)	Treno vuoto (carrozze passeggeri)	Empty material train (passenger carriage)	Z	111
MP	LeermaterialZug Personenbeförd	Train de matériel vide Transport de personnes	Treno materiale vuoto Trasporto passeggeri	Empty material train with passenger transport	Z	111
NJ	NightJet	NightJet	Nightjet	NightJet	Z	105
NZ	Nacht-Zug	Train de nuit	Treno notturno	Night Train	Z	105
P	Zug ohne Gewähr	Train non garanti	Treno senza garanzia	Train without Guarantee	Z	100
PE	PanoramaExpress	PanoramaExpress	PanoramaExpress	PanoramaExpress	Z	107
R	Regio	Train régional	Regio	Regio	Z	106
RB	Regionalbahn	Réseau régional	Ferrovia regionale	Regional train	Z	106
RE	RegioExpress	RegioExpress	RegioExpress	RegioExpress	Z	106
RJ	Railjet	Railjet	Railjet	Railjet	Z	102
RJX	railjet xpress	Railjet Xpress	Railjet Xpress	Railjet Xpress	Z	102
S	S-Bahn	RER	Rete celere regionale	Urban Train	Z	109
SN	Nacht-S-Bahn	RER de nuit	S-Bahn (rete celere regionale) notturna	Night-urban Train	Z	109
STB	Stadtbahn	Chemin de fer urbain	Ferrovia urbana	City Railway	Z	109
TAL	Talgo	Talgo	Talgo	Talgo	Z	101
TER	Train Express Regional	Train Express régional	Treno espresso regionale	Train Express Regional	Z	106
TE2	TER200	TER 200	TER200	TER200	Z	106
TGV	Train à grande vitesse	Train à grande vitesse	Train à grande vitesse	Train à grande vitesse	Z	101
THA	Thalys	Thalys	Thalys	Thalys	Z	101
TLK	Twoje Linie Kolejowe	Deuxième Ligne Kolejowe	Linea Twoje Kolejowe	Twoje Line Kolejowe	Z	102
UEX	UrlaubsExpress	UrlaubsExpress	HolidayExpress	UrlaubsExpress (Holiday)	Z	104
VAE	Voralpen-Express	Voralpen-Express	Voralpen-Express	Voralpen-Express	Z	103
WB	Westbahn	Westbahn	Westbahn	Westbahn	Z	100
X	InterConnex	InterConnex	InterConnex	InterConnex	Z	100
X2	X2000 Neigezug	X2000 Train pendulaire	Treno inclinabile X2000	X2000 Tilting Train	Z	100
ZUG	Zugskategorie unbekannt	Catégorie de train inconnue	Categoria del treno sconosciuta	Train Category Unknown	Z	100

stop_times.txt

stops.txt

The platforms must be modelled in GTFS as individual stops. Replacing the platform is then the same as replacing the stop from a GTFS perspective.

 

Example using “8500010” (Basel SBB):

All the stops in Basel have a common “parent” “8500010P”. The individual platforms are separated by “:”. A “platform” can also be a platform+sectors (e.g. “8500010:0:7CD”). There are also very strange additions, such as “Bern Bfpl”, giving “8507000:0:Bfpl” if the RBS uses it for rail replacement buses.

trips.txt

Please note:

• In the case of trains, “trip_short_name” will include the train number.
• A “trip” according to GTFS represents in Transmodel the concept of a “DatedVehicleJourney” (in OJP a “DatedJourney”).  In Transmodel and OJP a TRIP is a journey of the customer as returned by the Trip Planner. It consists of different partial journeys, interchanges and other paths to be covered with different modes. In HRDF the GTFS ‘trip’ corresponds to the journey and in NeTEx to the ServiceJourney.

transfers.txt

The metastations will soon be presented in transfers.txt.

Consistency in terms of identifying between versions of the static file

The GTFS Static is recreated every week. This means that the “service_id” and the “trip_id” may not be identical.

When are there new GTFS Static files?

The new HRDF is published on Mondays.

The GTFS upload is carried out via script on Wednesdays at 09:10. The GTFS-RT feed downloads the files at 14:00 via script. It then takes about 5-10 minutes before the files in the system and, therefore, the GTFS-RT feed are switched.

Internal consistency of a GTFS Static file

We make every effort to produce correct GTFS Static files. Google suggests testing the internal consistency using the FeedValidator. Unfortunately, the current version is unable to cope with the size of our file. Another tool that can be used is gtfstidy, which includes among its functions the option to carry out validation using the parameter “-v”

 

Questions & answers

What do the first and last two sections of the trip_id mean? E.g. {405}.TA.26-752-j17-1.{3}.{R}

The trip_id consists of the following parts: “<consecutive number in trips.txt>.<service_id>.<route_id>.<DIVA route number>.<DIVA direction of travel>” route_id = <DIVA branch of operation>-<DIVA line number>-<DIVA project abbreviation>-<DIVA line version number>

What is the Trip ID made up of?

The trip ID is made up of different DIVA numbers/fields and has nothing to do with the HRDF data. The assignment is not quite 1:1, as the journey ID (= journey number) does not have to be unique within an HRDF data set, but with the help of stops and stop times, as the data user has done, the matching journey can be found as follows:: The trips.txt contains the trip_short_name: route_id,service_id,trip_id,trip_headsign,trip_short_name,direction_id “26-94-j18-1″,”TA+b20xg”,”310.TA.26-94-j18-1.3.R”,”Zürich Oerlikon, Bahnhof”,”13628“,”1”   This corresponds to the journey number (external train number) in the *Z line of the FPLAN file: As the journey number does not have to be unique within an HRDF feed, the stop times and stop_ids of the journey from the stop_times.txt should also be used for assignment:   trip_id,arrival_time,departure_time,stop_id,stop_sequence,pickup_type,drop_off_type “310.TA.26-94-j18-1.3.R”,”13:37:00″,”13:37:00″,”8587651″,”1″,”0″,”0″ “310.TA.26-94-j18-1.3.R”,”13:38:00″,”13:38:00″,”8587652″,”2″,”0″,”0″ “310.TA.26-94-j18-1.3.R”,”13:39:00″,”13:39:00″,”8591263″,”3″,”0″,”0″ “310.TA.26-94-j18-1.3.R”,”13:41:00″,”13:41:00″,”8591347″,”4″,”0″,”0″ “310.TA.26-94-j18-1.3.R”,”13:42:00″,”13:42:00″,”8591047″,”5″,”0″,”0″ “310.TA.26-94-j18-1.3.R”,”13:43:00″,”13:43:00″,”8591113″,”6″,”0″,”0″ “310.TA.26-94-j18-1.3.R”,”13:44:00″,”13:44:00″,”8591330″,”7″,”0″,”0″ “310.TA.26-94-j18-1.3.R”,”13:45:00″,”13:45:00″,”8591319″,”8″,”0″,”0″ “310.TA.26-94-j18-1.3.R”,”13:46:00″,”13:46:00″,”8591175″,”9″,”0″,”0″ “310.TA.26-94-j18-1.3.R”,”13:46:00″,”13:46:00″,”8591273″,”10″,”0″,”0″ “310.TA.26-94-j18-1.3.R”,”13:48:00″,”13:48:00″,”8591382″,”11″,”0″,”0″ “310.TA.26-94-j18-1.3.R”,”13:49:00″,“13:49:00″,”8580449”,”12″,”0″,”0″ The HRDF feed two days later (e.g. 05/02/2018) always matches the GTFS feed (e.g. 07/02/2018):

Further information

• Further information on GTFS Static can be found on the GTFS developer page of Google: https://developers.google.com/transit/gtfs/
• Online Meetup on 13 November 2023: How GTFS data feeds contribute to the sustainable improvement of public transport
  • Recording
  • Presentation