mta-js

TypeScript client for MTA realtime feeds and the hosted MTA API.

Hosted API

Use an API key from mtaapi.dev for route-aware static lookups and managed realtime endpoints:

import { MTA } from "mta-js";

const mta = new MTA({
  apiKey: process.env.MTA_API_KEY,
});

const nearby = await mta.stops.near({
  lat: 40.7356,
  lon: -73.9804,
  modes: ["bus"],
  route: "M23",
  includeRoutes: true,
});

const lTrain = await mta.subway.arrivals({
  stopId: "L08",
  route: "L",
});

const direction = await mta.subway.direction({
  route: "L",
  fromStopId: "L06",
  destination: "Union Sq",
});

const subwayBoard = await mta.subway.arrivalBoard({
  lat: 40.7356,
  lon: -73.9906,
  limitStations: 5,
  limitArrivals: 3,
});

const busBoard = await mta.bus.arrivalBoard({
  lat: 40.7421,
  lon: -73.9914,
  route: "M23",
  limitStops: 8,
  limitArrivals: 3,
});

const favoriteStops = await mta.stops.byIds({
  ids: ["A27", "L06", "308214"],
  includeRoutes: true,
});

const routes = await mta.routes.list({
  modes: ["subway", "bus"],
});

const lStations = await mta.subway.routeStations({
  route: "L",
  direction: "uptown",
});

const m23Stops = await mta.bus.routeStops({
  route: "M23",
  direction: 0,
});

Arrival rows may include display-oriented fields. destination depends on destination metadata, while displayDirection may still be present as a generic fallback label:

for (const arrival of lTrain) {
  console.log(
    `${arrival.route.shortName} ${arrival.displayDirection ?? arrival.destination ?? "unknown direction"} from ${arrival.stop.displayName ?? arrival.stop.name}`,
  );
}

Use mta.subway.direction(...) when a rider enters an intermediate destination such as Union Sq; the hosted API resolves it against static GTFS route order and returns a typed direction, destinationStop, and terminal-facing displayDirection such as toward 8 Av.

NYC Subway realtime feeds use NYCT's north/south stop directions, even on east-west lines. For the L train, mta-js accepts rider-facing east/west aliases and maps them to the underlying feed directions.

When apiKey is present, mta-js sends requests to the hosted API at https://www.mtaapi.dev by default. Override apiBaseUrl for tests or private deployments.

Direct MTA Feeds

You can still call MTA realtime feeds directly without the hosted API:

const mta = new MTA({
  busTimeKey: process.env.MTA_BUS_KEY,
});

const buses = await mta.bus.arrivals({
  stopId: "308214",
  route: "M23",
});

Direct feed mode has no bundled SQLite, Turso, or persistent GTFS database. If you need richer local metadata, pass a small in-memory staticData seed:

const mta = new MTA({
  staticData: {
    stops: [
      {
        stop_id: "L08",
        stop_name: "Bedford Av",
        stop_lat: 40.717304,
        stop_lon: -73.956872,
      },
    ],
    routes: [
      {
        route_id: "L",
        route_short_name: "L",
        route_long_name: "14 St-Canarsie Local",
      },
    ],
  },
  staticDataMode: "subway",
});

For production static stop search, prefer the hosted API. It serves a compact Blob-backed snapshot instead of requiring each SDK consumer to manage GTFS imports.

Route and stop inputs include generated autocomplete for known MTA values while remaining permissive for future route and stop additions. Refresh the generated types from the hosted stops snapshot by setting MTA_STOPS_SNAPSHOT_URL or NEXT_PUBLIC_MTA_STOPS_SNAPSHOT_URL and running bun run generate:types. Bus route autocomplete is generated from public MTA borough GTFS route files by default; set MTA_BUS_GTFS_URLS to a comma-separated list of GTFS zip URLs to override them.

Endpoints

• mta.subway.arrivals(...)
• mta.subway.arrivalBoard(...)
• mta.subway.direction(...)
• mta.subway.routeStations(...)
• mta.bus.arrivals(...)
• mta.bus.arrivalBoard(...)
• mta.bus.routeStops(...)
• mta.bus.vehicles(...)
• mta.alerts.current(...)
• mta.routes.list(...)
• mta.stops.byIds(...)
• mta.stops.near(...)