Get started

This section outlines how to quickly get started using the Public Transit API v8 on the HERE platform.

1. Get a HERE account
2. Create a project
3. Get an API key
4. Send a request

Get a HERE account

You can get started with a free HERE platform account from the flexible HERE Base Plan. For more information, see the HERE Base Plan Pricing. Alternatively, if your company has already established a HERE platform organization, contact your organization admin who can invite you to join your company's organization.

Create a project

To create a project, follow these steps:

1. Sign in to the HERE platform using your HERE account.
2. Open the Projects Manager from the launcher.
3. Click Create new project.
4. Enter a name for the project. Project names don't have to be unique.
5. Enter a project ID. Project IDs must be unique within an organization and cannot be changed for the lifetime of the organization. Project IDs must be between 4 and 16 characters in length.
6. Optional: Enter an optional description.
7. Click Save.

Get an API key

To get an API key, follow these steps:

1. Sign in to the HERE platform using your HERE account.
2. Select the Access Manager from the launcher.
3. Select the Apps tab and click Register new app.
4. Enter a name for the app.
5. Optional: Enter a description for the app.
6. Optional: Select the project you created in the previous procedure from the Default access to a project field.
7. Click Register. The HERE platform creates a new app with a unique app ID.
8. On the Credentials tab, select API Keys and then click Create API key to generate a maximum of two API Keys for your application authentication credentials. The API key is created and displayed.

Send a request

This example request calculates a transit route.

GET https://transit.router.hereapi.com/v8/routes
    ?apiKey={YOUR_API_KEY}
    &origin=41.79457,12.25473
    &destination=41.90096,12.50243

If the route calculation was successful, the /routes response contains the requested details about the calculated route:

• One optimal transit route, unless the alternatives is greater than zero.
• Multiple transit sections with each segment, representing either a pedestrian or a transit segment, containing departure and arrival times, duration, and coordinates.
• The transit segment shows the actual stops or stations of departure and arrival. Optionally, all intermediate stops in between can be also requested using the parameter return=intermediate.
• A set of operators that run the services included in the alternatives, including the operator code, operator name, and links to operator websites, if any.

{
  "routes": [
    {
      "id": "R008001-C0",
      "sections": [
        {
          "id": "R008001-C0-S0",
          "type": "pedestrian",
          "actions": [
            {
              "action": "depart",
              "duration": 74,
              "instruction": "Head northwest on Via Arturo Ferrarin. Go for 74 m.",
              "offset": 0
            },
            {
              "action": "turn",
              "duration": 19,
              "instruction": "Turn left. Go for 10 m.",
              "offset": 1,
              "direction": "left"
            },
            {
              "action": "turn",
              "duration": 21,
              "instruction": "Turn right onto Via Generale Felice Santini. Go for 21 m.",
              "offset": 2,
              "direction": "right"
            },
            {
              "action": "turn",
              "duration": 19,
              "instruction": "Turn left onto Elevator. Go for 19 m.",
              "offset": 3,
              "direction": "left"
            },
            {
              "action": "continue",
              "duration": 72,
              "instruction": "Head west. Go for 72 m.",
              "offset": 4
            },
            {
              "action": "turn",
              "duration": 141,
              "instruction": "Turn slightly left. Go for 141 m.",
              "offset": 5,
              "direction": "left",
              "severity": "light"
            },
            {
              "action": "turn",
              "duration": 77,
              "instruction": "Turn left. Go for 77 m.",
              "offset": 7,
              "direction": "left"
            },
            {
              "action": "arrive",
              "duration": 0,
              "instruction": "Arrive at your destination on the right.",
              "offset": 8
            }
          ],
          "travelSummary": {
            "duration": 420,
            "length": 413
          },
          "polyline": "BHkrsl9Y6503pHq9Gr1O9uB9uBijC5sE3G5sEuNj_Q_jH7zN_jHjtNrjLovK",
          "departure": {
            "time": "2019-12-09T12:31:00+01:00",
            "place": {
              "type": "place",
              "location": {
                "lat": 41.79457,
                "lng": 12.25473
              }
            }
          },
          "arrival": {
            "time": "2019-12-09T12:38:00+01:00",
            "place": {
              "name": "Fiumicino Aeroporto",
              "type": "station",
              "location": {
                "lat": 41.793572,
                "lng": 12.251733
              },
              "id": "722068831"
            }
          }
        },
        {
          "id": "R008001-C0-S1",
          "type": "transit",
          "travelSummary": {
            "duration": 1920,
            "length": 31726
          },
          "polyline": "BHg-4k9Y0871pH_wwE4vwEzjGooJ7wFw9J_mE0iJngDg1Hn9Bw_IvC8jJkcg1H08BkkHgj9Bkh3E0rhDkriHoi6Nkl9egmqB4g3D4qJ49vBz9D0isB3-d89qI8gIwr_Bw2oB87_Ds9oB41oEgvUoyoD0xJ4rjE7jEgqjBrhiBs8jF4Swqa8sHghlBkm4BwngF8x-B4m3Ekq7BsixCgw0B8rmC4gTolrB8oE04rBngIgo8E_qHsqwD44CktyBs4KoppB0mgBg7sBgggF8vnD88sBoyY0k3F41kB88Y0mMgzSstXs4tB8jgCsorB40YkhpB7zBos-BnppBwlQrpF08V0rC8zV8kLo-NgsTolIw-a4hGwrkCoGgkDoGo4BA4rBoGo4Bg9D464B4SoyJAo4B4rBgxTo4B45YojEol9CoG4vEnG4vEvMwienGgvFv3CowU_xBolSn4BolS_nG4qsBnrKohhCn8E4zgB_6Oo8oDAo1FAoxCAg9DvMw2UwM4zyCnGw3CoG4mQ4rBw9TwwDw9TofwiFg-KgyaozQgxToqc41Vg9D4rBg7OwuOg-K40Ow3Cw7FwiFg-KghHo8doxCwpd4kCw9sBoqDw_hBgvFwzY4rBwwD4So4BofwiFgvFo9L4kbgmqB4yZw1mBsvHs9K03asuUoyd0oLk0J3D8mK7nCoiHvjCs9ZzkNwhcrtSsyDnzGw5QnrjBw3C_uFwla3uvBgZ3rBomZ3gxB4kCvpE4_Q36fgyB39C4kC_8Dkmaz10Bwlfn75Boh6Cz-zD89Q72b",
          "departure": {
            "time": "2019-12-09T12:38:00+01:00",
            "place": {
              "name": "Fiumicino Aeroporto",
              "type": "station",
              "location": {
                "lat": 41.793572,
                "lng": 12.251733
              },
              "id": "722068831"
            }
          },
          "arrival": {
            "time": "2019-12-09T13:10:00+01:00",
            "place": {
              "name": "Roma Termini",
              "type": "station",
              "location": {
                "lat": 41.900503,
                "lng": 12.502027
              },
              "id": "722068214"
            }
          },
          "transport": {
            "mode": "regionalTrain",
            "name": "Regionale Veloce 3281",
            "category": "Regional Train",
            "color": "#05655D",
            "textColor": "#FFFFFF",
            "headsign": "Roma Termini"
          },
          "intermediateStops": [],
          "agency": {
            "id": "fKf00800",
            "name": "TRENITALIA",
            "website": "http://www.trenitalia.com"
          },
          "attributions": [
            {
              "id": "R008001-C0-S1-link-0",
              "href": "http://www.trenitalia.com/tcom",
              "text": "TRENITALIA",
              "type": "disclaimer"
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "R008001-C0-S2",
          "type": "pedestrian",
          "actions": [
            {
              "action": "depart",
              "duration": 61,
              "instruction": "Head northeast on Galleria Termini. Go for 61 m.",
              "offset": 0
            },
            {
              "action": "arrive",
              "duration": 0,
              "instruction": "Arrive at Galleria Termini. Your destination is on the right.",
              "offset": 1
            }
          ],
          "travelSummary": {
            "duration": 60,
            "length": 60
          },
          "polyline": "BHqhmm_Y6hsuuH4qIy7I",
          "departure": {
            "time": "2019-12-09T13:10:00+01:00",
            "place": {
              "name": "Roma Termini",
              "type": "station",
              "location": {
                "lat": 41.900503,
                "lng": 12.502027
              },
              "id": "722068214"
            }
          },
          "arrival": {
            "time": "2019-12-09T13:11:00+01:00",
            "place": {
              "type": "place",
              "location": {
                "lat": 41.90096,
                "lng": 12.50243
              }
            }
          }
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Next steps

We encourage you to further browse the examples of the most typical use cases of the Public Transit API that you can find below in this Developer Guide: Public Transit Routing API, Public Transit Next Departures API, and Public Transit Station Search API. For a full list of the parameters used in the API requests and the data provided in the responses, see the HERE Public Transit API Reference.