trainfyi

Python API client for railway data. Look up train stations worldwide, explore high-speed rail networks, query track gauge types, and retrieve railway operator information — all from TrainFYI, a railway reference platform covering passenger rail systems across continents.

TrainFYI catalogs railway stations with coordinates and operator associations, high-speed rail lines (Shinkansen, TGV, ICE, KTX), track gauge standards, signaling systems, and rolling stock — used by transit-tech developers, rail enthusiasts, and transportation analytics platforms.

Explore railways at trainfyi.com — browse by country, search stations, and explore rail networks.

Table of Contents

• Install
• Quick Start
• What You Can Do
  • High-Speed Rail Networks
  • Track Gauge Types
  • Railway Stations
  • Signaling Systems
• Command-Line Interface
• MCP Server (Claude, Cursor, Windsurf)
• REST API Client
• API Reference
• Learn More About Railways
• Also Available
• Transport FYI Family
• License

Install

pip install trainfyi                # Core (zero deps)
pip install "trainfyi[cli]"         # + Command-line interface
pip install "trainfyi[mcp]"         # + MCP server for AI assistants
pip install "trainfyi[api]"         # + HTTP client for trainfyi.com API
pip install "trainfyi[all]"         # Everything

Quick Start

from trainfyi.api import TrainFYI

with TrainFYI() as api:
    # Look up a railway station
    station = api.get_station("tokyo-station")
    print(station["name"])          # Tokyo Station
    print(station["country"])       # Japan
    print(station["operator"])      # JR East
    print(station["lines"])         # Shinkansen, Chuo, Yamanote...

    # List stations by country
    stations = api.list_stations(country="france")
    for s in stations:
        print(f"{s['name']} — {s['city']}")

    # Search railway data
    results = api.search("shinkansen")

What You Can Do

High-Speed Rail Networks

High-speed rail (HSR) operates at speeds above 250 km/h on dedicated tracks. Japan pioneered the concept with the Shinkansen (1964), followed by France's TGV (1981). Today, China operates the world's largest HSR network at over 42,000 km, while Europe's network connects 10+ countries.

System	Country	Max Speed	Network Length	Opened
Shinkansen	Japan	320 km/h	3,000+ km	1964
TGV	France	320 km/h	2,800+ km	1981
ICE	Germany	300 km/h	1,600+ km	1991
AVE	Spain	310 km/h	3,600+ km	1992
KTX	South Korea	305 km/h	600+ km	2004
CRH	China	350 km/h	42,000+ km	2007
Frecciarossa	Italy	300 km/h	1,000+ km	2009

from trainfyi.api import TrainFYI

with TrainFYI() as api:
    # Search for high-speed rail lines
    results = api.search("shinkansen")
    for r in results:
        print(f"{r['name']} — {r.get('max_speed', 'N/A')} km/h")

    # Browse networks by country
    networks = api.list_networks(country="japan")

Learn more: Rail Networks · Glossary

Track Gauge Types

Track gauge — the distance between the inner faces of the rails — varies worldwide and determines rolling stock compatibility. Standard gauge (1,435 mm) is used by 60% of the world's railways, but significant networks operate on broad gauge (Russia, India, Iberia) or narrow gauge (Japan conventional, Southeast Asia).

Gauge	Width	Where Used
Standard	1,435 mm	Europe, China, US, Japan HSR, Korea
Russian/Finnish	1,520/1,524 mm	Russia, CIS, Finland, Baltic states
Indian	1,676 mm	India, Pakistan, Argentina
Iberian	1,668 mm	Spain, Portugal (conventional)
Cape	1,067 mm	Japan (conventional), South Africa, Australia
Meter	1,000 mm	Southeast Asia, Switzerland, Brazil
Narrow	762 mm	Heritage railways, mining

from trainfyi.api import TrainFYI

with TrainFYI() as api:
    # Look up gauge information by country
    country = api.get_country("japan")
    print(f"Gauges: {country.get('track_gauges')}")
    # Standard (Shinkansen), Cape gauge (conventional)

Learn more: Track Gauges · Glossary

Railway Stations

Railway stations range from major termini handling hundreds of thousands of daily passengers (Shinjuku: 3.5M/day, the world's busiest) to rural halts with a single platform. Station architecture often reflects the era of construction — grand 19th-century termini, modernist mid-century designs, and contemporary glass-and-steel structures.

from trainfyi.api import TrainFYI

with TrainFYI() as api:
    # Get station details
    station = api.get_station("gare-du-nord")
    print(f"{station['name']}, {station['city']}")
    print(f"Operator: {station['operator']}")
    print(f"Lines: {station.get('lines', [])}")

    # List all stations in a country
    stations = api.list_stations(country="germany")
    print(f"{len(stations)} stations in Germany")

Learn more: Station Directory · Guides

Signaling Systems

Railway signaling ensures safe train separation and routing. Modern systems range from traditional fixed-block signaling (trackside signals) to ERTMS/ETCS (European Train Control System) and CBTC (Communications-Based Train Control) for metros. Positive Train Control (PTC) is mandated in the United States.

System	Type	Where Used
ERTMS/ETCS	Moving block, cab signaling	EU interoperability standard
PTC	Overlay GPS/radio	United States (mandated)
ATC/ATS	Cab signaling	Japan (Shinkansen)
CBTC	Communications-based	Metro systems worldwide
TVM	Track-to-train transmission	France (TGV)

from trainfyi.api import TrainFYI

with TrainFYI() as api:
    # Search signaling systems
    results = api.search("ETCS")
    for r in results:
        print(r["name"])

Learn more: Railway Technology · API Documentation

Command-Line Interface

pip install "trainfyi[cli]"

trainfyi station tokyo-station               # Station details
trainfyi search "gare du nord"               # Search stations
trainfyi country japan                       # All stations in Japan
trainfyi countries                           # List all countries

MCP Server (Claude, Cursor, Windsurf)

pip install "trainfyi[mcp]"

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "trainfyi": {
            "command": "uvx",
            "args": ["--from", "trainfyi[mcp]", "python", "-m", "trainfyi.mcp_server"]
        }
    }
}

REST API Client

from trainfyi.api import TrainFYI

with TrainFYI() as api:
    station = api.get_station("tokyo-station")       # GET /api/v1/stations/tokyo-station/
    stations = api.list_stations(country="france")    # GET /api/v1/stations/?country=france
    countries = api.list_countries()                  # GET /api/v1/countries/
    results = api.search("eurostar")                 # GET /api/v1/search/?q=eurostar

Example

curl -s "https://trainfyi.com/api/v1/stations/tokyo-station/"

{
    "slug": "tokyo-station",
    "name": "Tokyo Station",
    "city": "Tokyo",
    "country": "Japan",
    "operator": "JR East"
}

Full API documentation at trainfyi.com/developers/.

API Reference

Function	Description
api.get_station(slug)	Station details (location, operator, lines)
api.list_stations(country)	List stations, optionally by country
api.list_countries()	All countries with station counts
api.get_country(slug)	Country details with station list
api.search(query)	Search stations, networks, and operators

Learn More About Railways

• Browse: Station Directory · Countries
• Guides: Railway Guides · Glossary
• API: REST API Docs · OpenAPI Spec

Also Available

Platform	Install	Link
npm	npm install trainfyi	npm
MCP	uvx --from "trainfyi[mcp]" python -m trainfyi.mcp_server	Config

Transport FYI Family

Part of the FYIPedia open-source developer tools ecosystem — airports, airlines, aircraft, and railways.

Package	PyPI	npm	Description
airportfyi	PyPI	npm	4,500+ airports, IATA/ICAO codes, routes — airportfyi.com
airlinefyi	PyPI	npm	Airlines, fleets, alliances, routes — airlinefyi.com
planefyi	PyPI	npm	Aircraft models, specifications, manufacturers — planefyi.com
trainfyi	PyPI	npm	Railway stations, train routes, rail networks — trainfyi.com

License

MIT