GTFS Validator Tool

The GTFS Validator Tool analyzes a GTFS feed package (ZIP or folder) to confirm compliance with the General Transit Feed Specification. It targets operators, data engineers, developers, and analysts who publish or consume GTFS data. By checking file presence, field formats, and inter-file relationships, the tool helps identify issues that would disrupt schedules, rider information, or third-party integrations.
Conceptually, the validation process parses each GTFS file, applies a ruleset derived from the official spec, and reports errors and warnings with precise locations (file, line, field). It distinguishes between required constraints and optional checks, enabling early feedback during feed preparation and iterative quality improvement.
The primary beneficiaries are transit agencies, developers building trip planners or data dashboards, and integrators who rely on dependable GTFS data. By surfacing actionable issues rather than cryptic messages, it reduces debugging time and prevents faulty feeds from reaching production.
Key features include file presence checks, data-type and range validations, time formatting (HH:MM:SS), calendar and route consistency, stop and trip relationships, and cross-file references. Use cases cover daily feed releases, validation of updates, and pre-publication QA before sharing feeds with partners.