Transport for Philadelphia, US API

⭐ Beginner's Pick Transportation / No Auth Required Beginner HTTP
Free to Use Varies (check documentation)

Overview

The SEPTA API provides real-time and scheduled transit data for Philadelphia's public transportation system, including buses, subway, regional rail, and trolleys. No API key is required, making it easy to start exploring Philadelphia transit data immediately. The API returns JSON and covers vehicle locations, arrivals, alerts, and timetables.

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Beginner Tip

Start with the real-time arrivals endpoint by passing a stop ID to see the next few buses or trains at any SEPTA stop. Stop IDs are available on the SEPTA website's stop finder tool and can also be discovered via the API's stops endpoint.

Available Data

match scores and results
team standings
player statistics
schedule and fixtures
Use case: Integrate septa apis data into web and mobile applications

Example Response

JSON Response
{
  "route": "Line 1",
  "origin": "Station A",
  "destination": "Station B",
  "departure": "08:30",
  "arrival": "09:15",
  "status": "On Time",
  "delays_min": 0
}

Field Reference

orig_train Train or vehicle identifier for the departure at the origin station.
orig_departure_time Scheduled departure time from the origin station in HH:MM AM/PM format.
orig_arrival_time Scheduled arrival time at the origin station, which may differ from the departure when connections are involved.
orig_delay Real-time delay in minutes at the origin station; "On time" if no delay is reported.
isdirect Indicates whether the trip is a direct service ("true") or requires a transfer ("false").
next_station Name of the next intermediate station along the route, useful for multi-stop itinerary display.

Implementation Example

const url = "http://www3.septa.org/hackathon/";
const response = await fetch(url);
if (!response.ok) throw new Error(`Request failed: ${response.status}`);
const data = await response.json();
console.log(data);

What Can You Build?

Note: These code examples are AI-generated and unverified. Always refer to the official API documentation for accurate usage.

Common Errors & Troubleshooting

Empty array in response The stop name or station name in the URL path is spelled incorrectly or uses the wrong format.
Use exact station names as they appear in the SEPTA system, URL-encoded (spaces as %20); check septa.org for correct names.
Connection timeout The API uses plain HTTP on port 80, which may be blocked by some corporate or school networks.
Try the request from a different network, or route through a proxy that allows outbound HTTP connections.
Stale or missing real-time data The vehicle tracking system may not have updated data for a particular route at that time.
Check the Alerts endpoint for any service disruptions, and fall back to the schedule data if real-time is unavailable.

Matrix Score Breakdown

🌐 Reachability 0/30
⚡ Speed 15/20
🔒 Security 0/15
🛠 Developer XP 15/20
✓ Reliability 7/15
Response Time 207ms

Fully tested on Apr 5, 2026

Technical Specifications

Auth No Auth
HTTPS NO
CORS UNKNOWN
Category Transportation
Difficulty Beginner
Verified: 2026-04-04

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