← Back to Transportation
Transportation by @anscg

wheels-router

Public transit planning globally via Transitous

0
Source Code

What I do

I help you plan public transit trips anywhere in the world by connecting to the Wheels Router MCP server.

For Hong Kong trips, I use the Wheels Router API which provides:

  • Detailed routing with MTR, bus, tram, ferry, and walking
  • Real-time schedules and accurate fares
  • Platform information and exit details
  • Interchange discounts (轉乘優惠) when available

For worldwide trips, I use the Transitous API which covers:

  • Major cities globally with transit data
  • Basic routing with public transportation
  • Walking directions and transfers

When to use me

Use this skill whenever you need to:

  • Plan a trip using public transportation
  • Find the best route between two locations
  • Check transit schedules and connections
  • Get fare estimates for Hong Kong transit
  • Search for locations before planning routes

Examples:

  • "How do I get from Yau Tong MTR to Hong Kong Airport?"
  • "What's the best way to Central from Causeway Bay right now?"
  • "Plan a trip from Tokyo Station to Shibuya"
  • "Search for locations near Victoria Park"

How to connect

If you're using mcporter (clawdbot, etc.)

Follow your mcporter skill, if you don't have one follow below: Add to config/mcporter.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "wheels-router": {
      "description": "Plan public transit trips globally",
      "baseUrl": "https://mcp.justusewheels.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Then call tools directly:

npx mcporter call wheels-router.search_location query="Hong Kong Airport"
npx mcporter call wheels-router.plan_trip origin="22.28,114.24" destination="22.31,113.92"

For other MCP clients

Claude Desktop (~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "wheels-router": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["mcp-remote", "https://mcp.justusewheels.com/mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Cursor/Windsurf/VS Code (.cursor/mcp.json or similar):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "wheels-router": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["mcp-remote", "https://mcp.justusewheels.com/mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Available tools

search_location

Search for places before planning trips. Always use this first if you don't have exact coordinates.

Parameters:

  • query (required): Place name or address (e.g., "Hong Kong Airport", "Yau Tong MTR Exit A2")
  • limit (optional): Number of results (1-10, default 5)

Example:

search_location({
  query: "Hong Kong International Airport",
  limit: 3
})

Returns:

  • display_name: Full address
  • lat, lon: Coordinates for use in plan_trip
  • type, class: Location category

plan_trip

Plan a transit route between two points.

Parameters:

  • origin (required): Starting point as "lat,lon" or "stop:ID"
  • destination (required): Ending point as "lat,lon" or "stop:ID"
  • depart_at (optional): ISO 8601 departure time (e.g., "2026-01-26T10:00:00+08:00")
  • arrive_by (optional): ISO 8601 arrival deadline
  • modes (optional): Comma-separated modes like "mtr,bus,ferry" (only specify if needed)
  • max_results (optional): Limit number of route options (1-5)

Example:

plan_trip({
  origin: "22.2836,114.2358",
  destination: "22.3080,113.9185",
  depart_at: "2026-01-26T14:30:00+08:00",
  max_results: 3
})

Returns:

  • plans: Array of route options
    • duration_seconds: Total trip time
    • fares_min, fares_max: Fare range in HKD (Hong Kong only)
    • legs: Step-by-step directions
      • type: "walk", "transit", "wait", "station_transfer"
      • Transit legs include: route name, headsign, stops, platform info
      • Walk legs include: distance, duration

Best practices

  1. Always search first: Use search_location to find coordinates before calling plan_trip
  2. Use coordinates: Plan trips with lat,lon format for best results
  3. Specify times: Include depart_at or arrive_by for accurate schedules
  4. Check multiple options: Request 2-3 route options with max_results
  5. Understand fares: fares_min and fares_max show the range—interchange discounts are noted separately when available

Important notes

  • Interchange discounts (轉乘優惠): Only shown when explicitly present in Hong Kong routes, not all routes qualify
  • Real-time data: Hong Kong routes use live schedules; worldwide coverage may vary
  • Time zones: Use UTC or local timezone offsets (HKT is UTC+8)
  • Coverage: Best for Hong Kong; worldwide coverage varies by city

Example workflow

// 1. Search for locations
const origins = await search_location({ 
  query: "Yau Tong MTR Station", 
  limit: 1 
});

const destinations = await search_location({ 
  query: "Hong Kong Airport", 
  limit: 1 
});

// 2. Plan the trip
const routes = await plan_trip({
  origin: `${origins[0].lat},${origins[0].lon}`,
  destination: `${destinations[0].lat},${destinations[0].lon}`,
  depart_at: "2026-01-26T15:00:00+08:00",
  max_results: 2
});

// 3. Present the best options to the user or present specific results but only if user asked specifically. By default just give them something like "[walk] > [3D] > [walk] > [Kwun Tong Line] > [walk]"- unless they ask for specifics.

Error handling

  • "Could not find location": Try a more specific search query
  • "No routes found": Check if coordinates are valid and in a covered area
  • "Invalid time format": Ensure ISO 8601 format with timezone
  • Rate limits: Be mindful of API usage, cache results when appropriate

Coverage areas

  • ✅ Full coverage: Hong Kong (MTR, bus, tram, ferry, detailed fares)
  • ✅ Good coverage: Major global cities with Transitous data
  • ⚠️ Limited coverage: Smaller cities may have incomplete transit data