GTFS explained simply: what you need to know

GTFS (General Transit Feed Specification) is the global standard for describing public transport timetables, lines and stops in digital format. If you run a transport service, understanding GTFS is essential. Here's a simple explanation.

What GTFS is

GTFS is a standardised format — born at Google — that lets you describe a transport service uniformly: which lines exist, where stops are, when vehicles pass, what the fares are. It has become the de facto standard worldwide.

What it's for

Having data in GTFS format makes it interoperable: it can be read by Google Maps, mobility aggregators, MaaS apps and other operators. It's the foundation for entering any integrated mobility ecosystem.

Static GTFS and GTFS-realtime

• Static GTFS — describes the scheduled service: timetables, lines, stops.
• GTFS-realtime — adds real-time information: delays, vehicle positions, alerts.

Why it matters for your company

Importing and exporting GTFS lets you: publish your timetables on Google Maps, take part in MaaS projects, calculate fares automatically and integrate your service with other operators. Without GTFS, you're isolated from the digital mobility ecosystem.

How Praticko handles GTFS

Praticko natively imports GTFS feeds to populate lines and trips, and lets you export data to make it available to aggregators. All without complex technical work.

Discover how Praticko handles GTFS and integrations.