MCP server

Connect MCP-compatible clients to the MTA API using Streamable HTTP. Endpoint

https://www.mtaapi.dev/mcp

Authentication

API key

Send your MTA API key as Authorization: Bearer <key>. Requests use the same authentication, metering, quotas, and plan limits as REST API requests.

Clerk OAuth

Clients that sign in instead of sending an authorization header can use Clerk OAuth. The account needs a paid plan for data access. The first data-tool call creates an MCP (auto) API key for usage; it appears with the account’s other keys on the dashboard.

Connect a client

Use an API key in clients that support custom headers. Clients without custom headers can connect using Clerk OAuth.

Claude Code
Cursor
Claude.ai / ChatGPT

Set MTA_API_KEY in your shell, then run:

claude mcp add --transport http mta https://www.mtaapi.dev/mcp --header "Authorization: Bearer $MTA_API_KEY"

Add the server to .cursor/mcp.json. Replace the placeholder with your API key and keep the file out of version control if it contains a secret.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mta": {
      "url": "https://www.mtaapi.dev/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer <your_api_key>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Create a custom MCP connector and enter the server URL. The client will start Clerk OAuth sign-in; no API key header is needed.

https://www.mtaapi.dev/mcp

Transit tools

Transit tools are read-only. With an API key, each call is authenticated and metered exactly like the corresponding REST request.

Tool	Description	Key parameters
`subway_arrivals`	Get subway arrivals.	`stopId` (required), `route`, `direction` (`north`, `south`, `uptown`, `downtown`), `limit` (1–100), `includeRaw`
`subway_direction`	Resolve rider-entered destination text such as Union Sq into a subway direction using ordered static GTFS stop data.	`route`, `fromStopId`, `destination` (all required)
`subway_arrival_board`	Find nearby subway stations and group upcoming arrivals by direction for each station.	`lat`, `lon` (required), `route`, `radiusMeters`, `limitStations` (1–20), `limitArrivals` (1–10), `includeRaw`
`subway_route_stations`	Get ordered subway stations for a route.	`route` (required), `direction`, `includeArrivals`, `limitArrivals`, `limitStops`, `includeRaw`
`bus_vehicles`	Get bus vehicles.	`route`, `vehicleId`, `limit` (1–100), `includeRaw`
`bus_arrival_board`	Find nearby bus stops and group upcoming arrivals by route and headsign.	`lat`, `lon` (required), `route`, `radiusMeters`, `limitStops` (1–20), `limitArrivals` (1–10), `includeRaw`
`bus_route_stops`	Get ordered bus stops for a route.	`route` (required), `direction`, `includeArrivals`, `limitArrivals`, `limitStops`, `includeRaw`
`get_njt_rail_departures`	Get upcoming NJ Transit rail departures from a station.	`station` (required), `line`, `limit` (1–50)
`list_njt_rail_stations`	List NJ Transit rail stations supported by the API.	None
`get_nyc_ferry_arrivals`	Get live NYC Ferry arrivals joined to static stop and route names.	`stop`, `route`, `limit`
`list_nyc_ferry_stops`	List NYC Ferry stops supported by the API.	None
`find_citi_bike_stations`	Find nearby Citi Bike stations and check current availability.	`lat`, `lon` (required), `radius`, `limit`, `minBikes`, `minDocks`, `ebike`
`get_citi_bike_station`	Get a Citi Bike station by station ID or short name.	`id` (required)
`get_lirr_departures`	Get upcoming LIRR departures from a station.	`stop` (required), `route`, `limit`
`get_metro_north_departures`	Get upcoming Metro-North departures from a station.	`stop` (required), `route`, `limit`
`list_commuter_rail_stops`	List LIRR or Metro-North stations, optionally filtered by name.	`system` (`lirr` or `metro-north`), `name`
`alerts`	Get current service alerts.	`mode` (`subway`, `bus`, `lirr`, or `metro-north`), `route`, `stopId`, `includeRaw`
`stops_near`	Find nearby transit stops, optionally filtered to stops served by a specific route.	`lat`, `lon` (required), `modes` (comma-separated), `route`, `includeRoutes`, `radiusMeters`, `limit`
`stops`	Look up stops in selected transit modes while preserving request order.	`ids` (required; comma-separated), `includeRoutes`, `modes`
`routes`	List subway and bus routes by default; add PATH, NJ Transit rail, NYC Ferry, LIRR, or Metro-North with `modes`.	`modes` (comma-separated)

PATH tools

Tool	Description	Key parameters
`get_path_arrivals`	Get live PATH train arrivals for New Jersey stations.	`station`, `route`, `direction` (`to-ny`, `to-nj`, `east`, `west`), `limit`
`list_path_stations`	List PATH stations in New Jersey supported by the API.	None

OAuth-only account tools

Account tools need Clerk OAuth sign-in (scopes openid profile email) and act only on the signed-in user’s own keys and billing.

Tool	Description	Key parameters
`whoami`	Returns the Clerk user ID authorized for this MCP session.	None
`create_api_key`	Creates a new MTA API key for the authorized Clerk user. The key secret is returned once.	`name` (required)
`list_api_keys`	Lists API keys for the authorized Clerk user without returning key secrets.	None
`revoke_api_key`	Revokes one API key owned by the authorized Clerk user.	`keyId` (required)
`get_usage`	Returns usage totals and coverage metadata (`partial`, `coverageStart`).	`keyId`, `window` (`current_period` or `month`)
`get_billing`	Returns the authorized Clerk user’s current plan, limits, and billing links.	None

Errors and limits

If Clerk OAuth is used without an eligible paid plan, a data-tool call that needs to create the usage key returns plan_required. Choose a plan from the billing dashboard, then retry. Data-tool text output includes any quota headers returned by the REST API: X-MTA-API-Request-Cost, X-MTA-API-Credits-Remaining, X-MTA-API-RateLimit-Limit, and X-MTA-API-RateLimit-Remaining. Calls remain subject to the account’s REST plan and rate limits.

Get Started

Core Concepts

Guides

Self-Hosting

Authentication

API key

Clerk OAuth

Connect a client

Transit tools

PATH tools

OAuth-only account tools

Errors and limits

​Authentication

API key

Clerk OAuth

​Connect a client

​Transit tools

​PATH tools

​OAuth-only account tools

​Errors and limits

Authentication

Connect a client

Transit tools

PATH tools

OAuth-only account tools

Errors and limits