document which routes are GTFS-based & which HAFAS-based

[Cediddi]

Hi, I'm trying to use this library and I'm following a workflow like this:

• Find stations by name (query='mollstr')
• Select a station and get details (name='Berlin, Mollstr./Otto-Braun-Str.' id='900000100040')
• Select a line from the station (name=M8 id='17463_900')
• Select the variant with most trips (the one with 371 trips)
• Get the first and last stop of that variant (first_stop_id='070301009267' last_stop_id='070301008858')

Last step throws an error like this:

{
  "isHafasError": true,
  "request": "{\"lang\":\"en\",\"svcReqL\":[{\"meth\":\"LocDetails\",\"req\":{\"locL\":[{\"type\":\"S\",\"lid\":\"A=1@L=001009267@\"}]}}],\"client\":{\"type\":\"IPA\",\"id\":\"VBB\",\"name\":\"vbbPROD\",\"v\":\"4010300\"},\"ext\":\"VBB.1\",\"ver\":\"1.16\",\"auth\":{\"type\":\"AID\",\"aid\":\"hafas-vbb-apps\"}}",
  "url": "https://fahrinfo.vbb.de/bin/mgate.exe?mic=bb4618f0b209632fb61e9dae462aabe2&mac=a246d90418328ad9249c3dda23fdc111",
  "statusCode": 400,
  "isClient": true,
  "code": "INVALID_REQUEST",
  "message": "location/stop not found",
  "hafasErrorCode": "LOCATION",
  "hafasErrorMessage": "HCI Service: location missing or invalid",
  "error": true,
  "msg": "HAFAS error: location/stop not found"
}

The query I'm running looks like this https://v5.vbb.transport.rest/stops/070301009267

I think my workflow is correct and this is a bug. Can you confirm?

[derhuerst]

• Select a station and get details (name='Berlin, Mollstr./Otto-Braun-Str.' id='900000100040')

You're fetching https://v5.vbb.transport.rest/stops/900000100040?linesOfStops=true I assume?

• Select a line from the station (name=M8 id='17463_900')

An M8 line with an id of 17463_900 doesn't exist for me:

curl 'https://v5.vbb.transport.rest/stops/900000100040?linesOfStops=true' -s | jq

{
	"type": "stop",
	"id": "900000100040",
	"name": "Mollstr./Otto-Braun-Str.",
	"location": {
		"type": "location",
		"id": "900100040",
		"latitude": 52.525185,
		"longitude": 13.419942
	},
	"products": {
		"suburban": false,
		"subway": false,
		"tram": true,
		"bus": true,
		"ferry": false,
		"express": false,
		"regional": false
	},
	"lines": [
		{
			"type": "line",
			"id": "12",
			"fahrtNr": null,
			"name": "12",
			"public": true,
			"mode": "train",
			"product": "tram",
			"symbol": null,
			"nr": 12,
			"metro": false,
			"express": false,
			"night": false,
			"color": {
				"fg": "#fff",
				"bg": "#6c5b98"
			}
		},
		{
			"type": "line",
			"id": "50",
			"fahrtNr": null,
			"name": "50",
			"public": true,
			"mode": "train",
			"product": "tram",
			"symbol": null,
			"nr": 50,
			"metro": false,
			"express": false,
			"night": false,
			"color": {
				"fg": "#fff",
				"bg": "#16a696"
			}
		},
		{
			"type": "line",
			"id": "m1",
			"fahrtNr": null,
			"name": "M1",
			"public": true,
			"mode": "train",
			"product": "tram",
			"symbol": "M",
			"nr": 1,
			"metro": true,
			"express": false,
			"night": false,
			"color": {
				"fg": "#fff",
				"bg": "#ed9222"
			}
		},
		{
			"type": "line",
			"id": "m2",
			"fahrtNr": null,
			"name": "M2",
			"public": true,
			"mode": "train",
			"product": "tram",
			"symbol": "M",
			"nr": 2,
			"metro": true,
			"express": false,
			"night": false,
			"color": {
				"fg": "#fff",
				"bg": "#7eb43d"
			}
		},
		{
			"type": "line",
			"id": "m4",
			"fahrtNr": null,
			"name": "M4",
			"public": true,
			"mode": "train",
			"product": "tram",
			"symbol": "M",
			"nr": 4,
			"metro": true,
			"express": false,
			"night": false,
			"color": {
				"fg": "#fff",
				"bg": "#d01c22"
			}
		},
		{
			"type": "line",
			"id": "m5",
			"fahrtNr": null,
			"name": "M5",
			"public": true,
			"mode": "train",
			"product": "tram",
			"symbol": "M",
			"nr": 5,
			"metro": true,
			"express": false,
			"night": false,
			"color": {
				"fg": "#fff",
				"bg": "#c48946"
			}
		},
		{
			"type": "line",
			"id": "m6",
			"fahrtNr": null,
			"name": "M6",
			"public": true,
			"mode": "train",
			"product": "tram",
			"symbol": "M",
			"nr": 6,
			"metro": true,
			"express": false,
			"night": false,
			"color": {
				"fg": "#fff",
				"bg": "#01609c"
			}
		},
		{
			"type": "line",
			"id": "m8",
			"fahrtNr": null,
			"name": "M8",
			"public": true,
			"mode": "train",
			"product": "tram",
			"symbol": "M",
			"nr": 8,
			"metro": true,
			"express": false,
			"night": false,
			"color": {
				"fg": "#fff",
				"bg": "#f47922"
			}
		},
		{
			"type": "line",
			"id": "142",
			"fahrtNr": null,
			"name": "142",
			"public": true,
			"mode": "bus",
			"product": "bus",
			"symbol": null,
			"nr": 142,
			"metro": false,
			"express": false,
			"night": false
		},
		{
			"type": "line",
			"id": "200",
			"fahrtNr": null,
			"name": "200",
			"public": true,
			"mode": "bus",
			"product": "bus",
			"symbol": null,
			"nr": 200,
			"metro": false,
			"express": false,
			"night": false
		}
	]
}

• Select the variant with most trips (the one with 371 trips)

How do you do that? Where do you get the number of trips from?

[Cediddi]

I can provide a pseudo code.

response = GET https://v5.vbb.transport.rest/stations?query=mollstr
station = select first from request where name = 'Berlin, Mollstr./Otto-Braun-Str.'

response = GET https://v5.vbb.transport.rest/stations/{station['id']}
line = select first from response['lines'] where name = 'M8'

response = GET https://v5.vbb.transport.rest/lines/{line['id']}
variant = select first from response['variants'] order by trips descending

first_stop = select first from variant['stops'] 

response = GET https://v5.vbb.transport.rest/stops/{first_stop}
// response is 502

I'm using python, you can check the script that I'm writing. Problematic part is line 186

https://gist.github.com/Cediddi/cfcf84aa3541a46beeee4064e3e33e40#file-allons_y-py-L186

[derhuerst]

Ah, now I understand the problem!

These routes just return GTFS data:

• /stations?…
• /stations/{id}
• /lines/{id}

The other routes (including /stops/{id}) query VBB's HAFAS API.

Unfortunately, the GTFS stop/station IDs & line IDs don't always match the HAFAS stop/station IDs & line IDs. Most of the times they work with HAFAS, but "haltepunkt"-like stop IDs (e.g. those of individual tram tracks at a station) apparently don't.

Sorry, this is really not documented at all. 😔

[derhuerst]

Can you tell me what you would like to build? Maybe I can tell you how to solve this with the v5.vbb.transport.rest API.

[Cediddi]

It is a coding challenge for a job application, thus I cannot share the question.

I think this API needs an open api documentation, other than that I think it's a great api and really easy to use and understand.

[derhuerst]

Completely agree, I've been planning to add an Open API spec for a while, just haven't found the time & motivation to do it yet.

[...] I think it's a great api and really easy to use and understand.

Well, I disagree in regards to the opaque HAFAS/GTFS distinction.