Moving the route planning algorithm to the client, focusing servers on delivering data

Linked Connections lets a browser or an app download public transport timetable data and calculate routes itself. The server publishes the data; the client runs the route planning algorithm.

Read the specification Explore the data

A connection between two stops

08:10Stop A

→

08:25Stop B

This example describes a departure from Stop A at 08:10 and an arrival at Stop B at 08:25.

Benefits of client-side route planning

Control over routing features

Build the routing features your app needs, with your own preferences and optimisation criteria. Because the algorithm runs in your client, you control how journeys are calculated.

Route queries stay in your browser

Your browser calculates the route locally. It downloads timetable data without sending your origin, destination, or preferences as a route planning query to the server.

Unlimited route calculations

Users can calculate routes as often as they want. Routing does not require a paid API call for each query, so a successful app is not penalised with a growing bill for route calculations.

Publishing departure–arrival pairs over HTTP

A connection describes a vehicle’s departure from one stop and arrival at the next, with a time for each.

Linked Connections orders departure–arrival pairs by departure time and splits them into pages served over HTTP. Links let a client discover the next page and gather the connections it needs to plan a journey.

Connections ordered by departure time and divided into linked pages that a route planning client can follow. — Connections are sorted by departure time and divided into pages. Links between pages let clients retrieve the connections needed for a route.

Calculate a route in your browser

Select a departure pin on the map, then a destination. The iRail planner downloads LC 2.0-alpha Arrow data and calculates journeys in your browser. The original 1.0 demo is available in the second tab.

The station map will load when you reach this demo.

Scheduled SNCB/NMBS services via iRail · Times in Europe/Brussels · Powered by @irail/planner.

Enable JavaScript to use these demos. You can also open the iRail playground or explore the datasets.

Implementing Linked Connections

Publish your data

Implement a Linked Connections interface in your own software. Start with the RDF and JSON-LD specification, or explore the v2-alpha draft for Apache Arrow tables.

Read the specification

Build a client

Find tools for publishing connections, converting GTFS, and planning routes in JavaScript. Contributions are welcome on GitHub.

Explore the tools

Need support with Linked Connections? Contact Pieter Colpaert.