>> Developers please note: If you want more than just ETAs, check out The Real BART API. It has service advisories, complete BART trip plans, station information and more.
For quick and easy real time ETAs, use our simple-to-parse XML feed and crank out your killer app with the same real time data we use on the BART website, hot off the griddle from BART Central. Here's what you need to know:
- Getting a validation key
Psyche: you don't need one. We're opting for "open" without a lot of strings attached. Just follow our simple License Agreement, give our customers good information and don't hog resources. If that doesn't work for you, we can manage usage with keys and write more terms and conditions. But who wants that? - Keep your work up to date
This feed is a work in progress. When we change something, we'll try to give you plenty of notice through the RSS feed and the opt-in email list and the BART Developers Google Group. - Don't use the BART logo
Only we get to use official BART trademarks and copyrighted works to let customers know when they're getting info directly from BART versus someplace else. - Don't forget about us
Give us a shout out or a link back in your app, then drop us a line to make a suggestion for the App Center.
About the Feed
The BART Real Time ETA Feed is an XML data file with a root element that encompasses elements holding the station name, the station abbreviation, the date and time and a series of ETA elements. Each ETA element contains a destination and an estimate showing up to the next three trains arriving at the specified station with the given destination. The file is updated every 60 seconds.
Station Abbreviations
| Abbr | Station Name |
| 12th | 12th St. Oakland City Center |
| 16th | 16th St. Mission (SF) |
| 19th | 19th St. Oakland |
| 24th | 24th St. Mission (SF) |
| ashb | Ashby (Berkeley) |
| balb | Balboa Park (SF) |
| bayf | Bay Fair (San Leandro) |
| cast | Castro Valley |
| civc | Civic Center (SF) |
| cols | Coliseum/Oakland Airport |
| colm | Colma |
| conc | Concord |
| daly | Daly City |
| dbrk | Downtown Berkeley |
| dubl | Dublin/Pleasanton |
| deln | El Cerrito del Norte |
| plza | El Cerrito Plaza |
| embr | Embarcadero (SF) |
| frmt | Fremont |
| ftvl | Fruitvale (Oakland) |
| glen | Glen Park (SF) |
| hayw | Hayward |
| lafy | Lafayette |
| lake | Lake Merritt (Oakland) |
| mcar | MacArthur (Oakland) |
| mlbr | Millbrae |
| mont | Montgomery St. (SF) |
| nbrk | North Berkeley |
| ncon | North Concord/Martinez |
| orin | Orinda |
| pitt | Pittsburg/Bay Point |
| phil | Pleasant Hill |
| powl | Powell St. (SF) |
| rich | Richmond |
| rock | Rockridge (Oakland) |
| sbrn | San Bruno |
| sfia | San Francisco Int'l Airport |
| sanl | San Leandro |
| shay | South Hayward |
| ssan | South San Francisco |
| ucty | Union City |
| wcrk | Walnut Creek |
| woak | West Oakland |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are you doing this?
We want to foster innovative applications, reach a broader audience and encourage more people to choose BART.
Will you help me troubleshoot?
If we help you, it's only fair that we help everyone else, too. We simply don't have the resources for that. Let us know about any issues or enhancements you'd like to see, but unfortunately we aren't able to provide technical support for your development efforts.
What are your plans for future development?
All of our developer services are created on what we call "BART one percent time." So within that context we're doing our best to fix problems, add new features and keep it all going. Drop us a line with your suggestions and learn about changes through the RSS feed, the opt-in email list or the BART Developers Google Group.
