Python code for simulating transit lines based on GTFS data

This project is inspired by @QuadMet on Twitter/X who created an animation of Portland, OR transit vehicles based off of GTFS data. They used the 'GTFS Map Generator' from Dan Snow (checkout some simulations of their the Chicago L Trains). However, that code was in R, and I don't know R, so I decided to redo it all in Python.

Most of the heavy lifting is being done by gtfs_kit, which take in GTFS feed data and allows you to query it in a number of ways. The most important part of this is feed.locate_trips(), which is able to figure out where transit vehicles are at a given point in time.

Matplotlib's FuncAnimation is then used to animate the vehicles over an array of times

Most transit agencies will make their GTFS data availble for public download, so just try searching for " GTFS data". As an example, Sound Transit provides GTFS data for most transit agencies in the Seattle area on their website