Overview
Transitland and Google Maps Platform both provide transit functionality but serve different needs. Transitland is a dedicated open-source transit data platform with not just a routing API but also data entity APIs and access archived raw GTFS feeds, while Google Maps Platform offers a map platform with integrated layers and a routing API.
Key Differences
| Feature | Transitland | Google Maps Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Focus | Dedicated transit data platform | General mapping platform with transit features |
| Data Access | ✅ Raw GTFS downloads, entity APIs, real-time departures API, historical archive | ❌ No raw GTFS access or entity APIs |
| Transit Routing | ✅ Dedicated transit routing API | ✅ Excellent Routes API with transit mode |
| Transit Layer | ✅ Vector tiles for layering in web maps; we particularly like using Protomaps and Maptiler | ✅ Transit layer for Google Maps JavaScript API |
| Base Map Flexibility | ✅ Use any base map provider | ❌ Must use Google's base map |
| Data Export | ✅ Multiple formats: CSV, GeoJSON, GeoJSONL, JSON | ❌ No data export capabilities |
| Open Source | ✅ Open architecture and tools | ❌ Proprietary platform |
| Global Coverage | ✅ Routing coverage for ~1,000 US transit agencies; data entity and feed coverage for 50+ countries | ✅ Extensive global coverage for routing |
When to Choose Each Platform
| Need | Transitland | Google Maps Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Raw GTFS data analysis | ✅ Direct downloads and entity APIs | ❌ No raw data access |
| Historical research | ✅ Feed archive with over a decade of data | ❌ No historical data |
| Digital displays and signage | ✅ Real-time departures API | ⚠️ Routing API uses real-time data, but can only be used to plan full journeys |
| Custom visualization | ✅ Any base map provider | ❌ Tied to Google's base map |
| Journey planning apps | ✅ Transitland Routing API | ✅ Excellent routing with transit mode |
| General mapping needs | ⚠️ Transit-focused only; pairs very well with Protomaps base maps and Geocode Earth search | ✅ All-in-one mapping platform with SDK libraries |
Conclusion
Google Maps Platform provides excellent transit routing with global coverage, making it ideal for journey planning applications. Transitland excels in raw data access, historical archives, and flexible visualization, now with the Transitland Routing API — perfect for data analysis, research, and custom applications where you the details.