Revision History

February 22, 2023

January 31, 2023

October 4, 2022

July 15, 2022

June 23, 2022

  • Created a new page that demonstrates how to set up block transfers between different routes.

March 3, 2022

  • Created a new page listing extensions used by Google for the GTFS Ticketing specification. The page includes extensions and additions used by Google.

October 5, 2021

October 27, 2020

June 4, 2020

  • Added the following specs to GTFS-ContinuousStops:
    • routes.txt: Now includes continuous_pickup and continuous_dropoff.
    • shapes_id: Now includes conditional requirements.
    • stop_times.txt: Now includes continuous_pickup and continuous_dropoff.
  • Created a Data examples page for continuous dropoff and pickup.

April 28, 2020

  • Updated the list of allowed values for table_name in translations.txt.

April 27, 2020

  • Added information on Japanese IC cards for fare_attributes.txt to the Google Transit Extensions to GTFS page.

April 6, 2020

  • Updated the definitions for feed_info.txt and moved them from the Google Transit Extensions to GTFS page.

February 6, 2020

  • Updated attributions.txt to be optional.

February 5, 2020

  • Updated the definitions for various route_type values in routes.txt.

January 24, 2020

  • Updated the definitions for translations.txt and moved them to the Reference page.

January 23, 2020

  • Added the attributions.txt file to the Reference page.

May 3, 2019

  • Added the pathways.txt and levels.txt files to the Reference page.

April 7, 2019

  • Added platform_code to the stops.txt file.

January 3, 2019

  • Updated the definitions for cable trams, aerial lifts, and funiculars in route_type.

August 22, 2018

  • Added the feed_contact_email and feed_contact_url fields to the feed_info.txt file. For details, read the discussion.

December 11, 2017

  • Added the route_sort_order field to the routes.txt file. For details, read the discussion.

March 16, 2016

February 3, 2016

  • Added the proposal for agency_email to agency.txt on the Reference page. For details, read the discussion.

February 2, 2015

  • Added the proposal for timepoint to stop_times.txt on the Reference page. For details, read the discussion.

February 17, 2014

  • Added the proposal for bikes_allowed to trips.txt on the Reference page. For details, read the discussion.

October 15, 2012

  • Added the proposal for wheelchair_accessible to trips.txt on the Reference page. For details, read the discussion.

June 20, 2012

  • Added the proposal for wheelchair_boarding to stops.txt on the Reference page. For details, read the discussion.

February 2, 2012

  • Added the proposal for stop_timezone to stops.txt on the Reference page. For details, read the discussion.

January 18, 2012

September 26, 2011

  • Added the proposal for feed_info.txt to the Reference page. For details, read the discussion.

September 6, 2011

  • Added the proposal for agency_fare_url to agency.txt on the Reference page. For details, read the discussion.
  • Added the proposal for exact_times to frequencies.txt on the Reference page. For details, read the discussion.

March 30, 2009

  • Added a new section on how to make a transit feed publicly available. This wasn't previously discussed on the group, because it wasn't strictly a change to how the data is interpreted or written. However, some of the folks at Google thought that it would be informative to include some discussion of non-Google uses of GTFS, because there are an increasing number of applications that can make use of GTFS-formatted data.
  • Clarified CSV format requirements. For details, read the discussion.
  • Provided additional guidance in the descriptions of the route_color and route_text_color fields on how to pick contrasting colors.
  • Added trip_short_name to the trips.txt file, as proposed and tested in the following threads: a and b.
  • Made a fix for a minor error in the sample data included at the end of the document (giving stop_id S7 the parent_station S8).
  • Added agency_lang information to the sample data at the end of the document, as suggested by Marcy during the comment period. For details, read the discussion.
  • Updated the link to OCTA's GTFS feed in the sidebar.
  • For more details, see the original summary.

February 26, 2009

  • Removed most of the Google-specific feed submission instructions, since there are many other applications that consume GTFS data at this point.
  • Fixed a broken link in the sidebar to Orange County OCTA's public feed.

August 7, 2008

  • Restored the stop_url field in stops.txt, which was accidentally omitted in the August 6 version.
  • Added agency_phone to sample data.
  • Added a mention of the data use agreement when a feed is submitted to Google.

August 6, 2008

  • Added the transfers.txt file, which lets feed publishers provide hints on preferred transfer behavior. For details, read the discussion.
  • Added the location_type and parent_station fields to the stops.txt, which allow stop points to be grouped into stations. For details, read the discussion.
  • Added the agency_phone field to agency.txt to provide a voice telephone number for an agency. For details, read the discussion.
  • Added a "Testing Your Feeds" section that mentions open-source testing tools.
  • Added clarifications about CSV format, agency_timezone, agency_lang, route_color, route_text_color, arrival_time, departure_time, calendar.txt versus calendar_dates.txt, fare tables, and frequencies.txt.
  • Added a link to the feed history document and corrected some public feed links.
  • Updated example images to depict the current Google Maps UI.
  • Updated and fixed sample data in the document.

February 29, 2008

  • Added the stop_code field in stops.txt to allow for the specification of rider-facing stop codes. For details, read the discussion.
  • Clarified the descriptions of route_short_name and route_long_name in routes.txt.
  • Clarified the descriptions of arrival_time and departure_time in stop_times.txt.
  • Fixed typos in the sample data section.

November 20, 2007

  • Clarified block_id description.
  • Changed language to de-emphasize Google Transit, because non-Google applications use GTFS and transit routing is now an integrated feature of Google Maps. Fixed assorted typos.
  • Updated example screenshots to reflect the presentation of GTFS fields in the current Google Maps UI.
  • Updated the Google contact email address for transit data providers.
  • Updated formatting.

October 5, 2007

  • Changed stop_sequence and shape_pt_sequence to allow for any increasing non-negative integers.
  • Clarified descriptions and fixed typos.

May 31, 2007

  • Updated page style to make the HTML cleaner and more accessible.
  • Added links to public feed examples and other useful sites.
  • Removed examples from individual field descriptions.

April 9, 2007

  • Added section on how to submit a feed.
  • Added the Example Demo Transit Agency feed.
  • Added note that calendar.txt can be omitted if all of the service dates are defined in calendar_dates.txt.
  • Made the agency_id field optional in feeds that contain only one agency. This allows existing feeds without agency_id to remain valid.
  • Improved the specifications for agency_url, stop_url, and route_url, and added additional example values for those fields.
  • Added 6 (Gondola) and 7 (Funicular) as valid route_type values.

March 8, 2007

  • Moved the stop_url field from the stop_times.txt file, where it was incorrectly specified in the February 28 update, to stops.txt where it belongs.

March 5, 2007

  • Clarified the description of the route_long_name field.

February 28, 2007

  • Added the frequencies.txt file for headway-based schedule support.
  • Added support for multiple agencies in the same feed. Also added a new agency_id field in both agencies.txt and routes.txt that lets you specify which route is operated by which agency.
  • Added per-route and per-stop URLs.
  • Added the direction_id field to the trips.txt file.
  • Added the stop_headsign field to the stop_times.txt file to support mid-trip headsign changes.
  • Added optional route_color and route_text_color fields to the routes.txt file to support route colors.
  • Removed the ability to specify stops with street addresses. The previous version of the spec let you give the location of a transit stop with a street address in the stop_street, stop_city, stop_region, stop_postcode, and stop_country fields. Now stop locations must be given using stop_lat for latitude and stop_lon for longitude, which are more useful for most applications.
  • Added the cable car vehicle type for the route_type field in the routes.txt file.
  • For more details, see the original Headway blog post summary of the changes.

November 29, 2006

  • Added support for trip shape information with shapes.txt.
  • Clarified the definition of stop_sequence.
  • Updated pickup_type and drop_off_type to be optional.

October 31, 2006

  • Added support for fare information.
  • Removed dates from individual file names.
  • Changed the route_type value definitions.
  • Allowed for multiple feed files to be posted at the same time, as long as their service periods don't overlap.
  • Fixed block_id in the trips.txt file so that it's correctly marked Optional.
  • Noted that column headers must be included.

September 29, 2006

  • Fixed a couple errors in the examples.

September 25, 2006

  • Initial version.