OpenBART API Documentation

OVERVIEW

The OpenBART API provides real-time transit data for BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) using the GTFS Realtime specification. All endpoints return JSON responses with current vehicle positions, trip updates, and service alerts.

ENDPOINTS

[GET] /bart/snapshots

Retrieve paginated list of data snapshots with search filters.

page: Page number (default: 1)
limit: Results per page (default: 20, max: 100)
finished: Filter by completion status (true/false)
from: Filter by start date (ISO 8601 format)
to: Filter by end date (ISO 8601 format)

RESPONSE    JSON
STATUS      200 OK
DATA        {
  "snapshots": [
    {
      "id": 123,
      "feed_timestamp": "2025-01-17T12:00:00Z",
      "entities_count": 42,
      "finished": true
    }
  ],
  "pagination": {
    "page": 1,
    "limit": 20,
    "total": 100,
    "total_pages": 5,
    "has_next": true,
    "has_prev": false
  }
}

[GET] /bart/trip-updates

Retrieve real-time trip updates for all active trains.

snapshot: Snapshot ID (optional, defaults to latest finished)

RESPONSE    JSON
STATUS      200 OK
DATA        {
  "snapshot": {
    "id": 123,
    "timestamp": "2025-01-17T12:00:00Z",
    "feed_version": "2.0"
  },
  "trip_updates": [
    {
      "trip": {
        "trip_id": "...",
        "route_id": "...",
        "headsign": "..."
      },
      "vehicle": {
        "id": "...",
        "label": "..."
      },
      "delay": 0,
      "stop_time_updates": [...]
    }
  ]
}

[GET] /bart/vehicle-positions

Retrieve current positions of all active vehicles in the system.

snapshot: Snapshot ID (optional, defaults to latest finished)

RESPONSE    JSON
STATUS      200 OK
DATA        {
  "snapshot": {
    "id": 123,
    "timestamp": "2025-01-17T12:00:00Z"
  },
  "vehicle_positions": [
    {
      "vehicle": {
        "id": "...",
        "label": "..."
      },
      "position": {
        "latitude": 37.7749,
        "longitude": -122.4194
      },
      "current_status": "IN_TRANSIT_TO"
    }
  ]
}

[GET] /bart/departures/:station

Retrieve upcoming departures for a specific station. Replace :station with the station code (e.g., EMBR, MONT, POWL).

snapshot: Snapshot ID (optional, defaults to latest finished)

RESPONSE    JSON
STATUS      200 OK
DATA        {
  "station": "EMBR",
  "station_name": "Embarcadero",
  "platforms": ["1", "2"],
  "departures": [
    {
      "destination": "Richmond",
      "route": {
        "route_id": "...",
        "route_name": "..."
      },
      "platform": "1",
      "minutes": 3,
      "delay": 0
    }
  ]
}

[GET] /bart/alerts

Retrieve current service alerts affecting the transit system.

snapshot: Snapshot ID (optional, defaults to latest finished)

RESPONSE    JSON
STATUS      200 OK
DATA        {
  "snapshot": {
    "id": 123,
    "timestamp": "2025-01-17T12:00:00Z"
  },
  "alerts": [
    {
      "alert_id": "...",
      "header": "Service Alert",
      "description": "...",
      "effect": "MODIFIED_SERVICE",
      "affected_routes": [...],
      "affected_stops": [...]
    }
  ]
}

RESPONSE CODES

200 OK: Request successful. Data returned in response body.
404 NOT FOUND: Requested resource does not exist.
500 INTERNAL ERROR: Server error. Contact system administrator if error persists.

STATION CODES

12TH12th St. Oakland City Center

16TH16th St. Mission

19TH19th St. Oakland

24TH24th St. Mission

ANTCAntioch

ASHBAshby

BALBBalboa Park

BAYFBay Fair

CASTCastro Valley

CIVCCivic Center/UN Plaza

COLSColiseum

COLMColma

CONCConcord

DALYDaly City

DBRKDowntown Berkeley

DUBLDublin/Pleasanton

DELNEl Cerrito del Norte

PLZAEl Cerrito Plaza

EMBREmbarcadero

FRMTFremont

FTVLFruitvale

GLENGlen Park

HAYWHayward

LAFYLafayette

LAKELake Merritt

MCARMacArthur

MLBRMillbrae

MONTMontgomery St.

NBRKNorth Berkeley

NCONNorth Concord/Martinez

OAKLOakland Int'l Airport

ORINOrinda

PITTPittsburg/Bay Point

PCTRPittsburg Center

PHILPleasant Hill/Contra Costa

POWLPowell St.

RICHRichmond

ROCKRockridge

SBRNSan Bruno

SFIASan Francisco Int'l Airport

SANLSan Leandro

SHAYSouth Hayward

SSANSouth San Francisco

UCTYUnion City

WARMWarm Springs/South Fremont

WCRKWalnut Creek

WDUBWest Dublin/Pleasanton

WOAKWest Oakland

ROUTES

RED LINE - Richmond to Millbrae/SFO

ORANGE LINE - Richmond to Berryessa

YELLOW LINE - Antioch to SFO/Millbrae

GREEN LINE - Berryessa to Daly City

BLUE LINE - Dublin/Pleasanton to Daly City

NOTES

All timestamps are provided in ISO 8601 format. Data is captured in snapshots that are marked as finished once processing completes. Response times are typically under 100ms.

Snapshots represent point-in-time captures of the GTFS-RT feed. All endpoints default to the latest finished snapshot unless a specific snapshot ID is provided via the ?snapshot parameter.

Station codes follow BART's official four-letter naming convention. Use the codes listed above when making API requests to the /bart/departures/:station endpoint.

Delay values are provided in seconds. Positive values indicate the vehicle is running behind schedule. Negative values indicate the vehicle is ahead of schedule.