Where's my train? MCP Server

A MCP server for real-time NYC subway information. Leverages AI/LLM geographic knowledge for intelligent location handling and provides structured JSON data for stations, arrivals, alerts, and service status with live MTA data.

Data from MTA • Personal use only • Not endorsed by MTA • Data provided "as is"

Quick Examples

"where's my train? I'm looking for the Q at DeKalb Av"

Features

Real-time train arrivals with crowding information
Station search with fuzzy matching and accessibility info
Service alerts and disruption analysis
Intelligent location handling - AI converts location names to coordinates
Nearby station finder using GPS coordinates or location names
Transfer information for complex routes
Live MTA GTFS-RT data from all subway lines

Usage

Option 1: Use on Smithery (Recommended)

Instant access - Visit smithery.ai/server/@sasabasara/where_is_my_train_mcp and click "Install" to add it to your AI client.

No setup required - works immediately with Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, and other MCP-compatible clients.

Option 2: Run Locally

Prerequisites:

Node.js 18+

Quick Start:

# Clone and install
git clone <your-repo>
cd whereismytrain-mcp
npm install

# Start development server (recommended)
npm run dev

# Or start traditional MCP server
npm start

That's it! The server automatically downloads and caches MTA GTFS data on first run.

What You Can Do

Station-Based Queries:

Find stations: "find Times Square station"
Next trains: "next trains at Union Square"
Transfers: "transfers at Atlantic Ave"

System Information:

Service status and alerts
Real-time disruptions
Train crowding data

Location-Based Searches:

Nearest stations: "stations near Times Square" or "near SoHo"
GPS coordinates: lat: 40.7589, lon: -73.9851
AI automatically converts location names to coordinates

What You Cannot Do (MTA Data Limitations)

Complex Journey Planning:

❌ Multi-modal transit (bus + subway combinations)
❌ Real-time traffic-aware routing
❌ Ride-sharing integration
✅ AI can chain tools for basic subway journey planning

Non-Subway Transit:

❌ Bus routes and schedules
❌ LIRR, Metro-North, NJ Transit
❌ Ferry, taxi, rideshare information
✅ NYC Subway only (all lines: 1-7, A-Z, shuttles)

Historical/Future Data:

❌ Past service performance
❌ Schedules beyond ~2 hours
❌ Planned service changes (beyond current alerts)
✅ Real-time data only (current conditions)

Tools

Core Tools

next_trains - Real-time arrivals with crowding indicators
find_station - Fuzzy station search with accessibility info
nearest_station - Find closest stations (AI converts location names to coordinates)
station_transfers - Transfer options at stations

System Tools

service_status - System-wide or line-specific status
subway_alerts - Detailed service alerts with filtering
service_disruptions - Disruption analysis with alternatives

Example Queries

// Core functionality
next_trains("Union Square", "N")  // N trains at Union Square
find_station("herald", true)      // Herald stations with accessibility
nearest_station({lat: 40.7589, lon: -73.9851})  // GPS coordinates
station_transfers("Atlantic Ave") // Transfer options
service_status("Q")              // Q line status

// AI Enhanced Queries
"stations near Times Square"      // AI converts location → coordinates
"how to get from SoHo to Brooklyn" // AI chains multiple tools
"any service alerts for my commute?" // AI contextual understanding

MTA Compliance & Usage Terms

Personal Use Only - This server is designed for individual, non-commercial use.

Key Requirements:

✅ Personal development - Direct MTA feed access permitted
❌ Public distribution - Requires data caching server and MTA license
📋 Attribution required - "Data from MTA" in outputs
🚫 No redistribution of raw feed data

Data Disclaimers:

Data provided "as is" without accuracy guarantees
May be delayed or incomplete due to processing
Not affiliated with or endorsed by MTA

For production/public use, you must implement proper data caching infrastructure and obtain MTA licensing.

Deployment

Smithery (Recommended)

npx @smithery/cli deploy

Traditional MCP

Use npm start for stdio protocol with any MCP client.

Data Sources

Real-time feeds: All NYC subway lines via MTA GTFS-RT
Static data: Stations, routes, transfers (auto-downloaded)
Service alerts: Live disruption and delay information
Update frequency: Every 30 seconds (real-time data)

License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details

NYC Subway