mcp-national-rail

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server to retrieve train schedules from National Rail.

Overview

This project implements a server using the Model Context Protocol (MCP) that allows AI agents to retrieve train information on National Rail trains using the Realtime Trains API.

It provides tools for:

• get_live_departures

• get_live_arrivals

• get_departures_by_date

• get_arrivals_by_date

Related MCP server: ns-bridge

Installation

Real Time Trains API account can be created from here: https://api.rtt.io/

You will need to note down your API Auth credentials

Installing via Smithery

To install mcp-national-rail for Claude Desktop automatically via Smithery:

npx -y @smithery/cli install @lucygoodchild/mcp-national-rail --client claude

Manual Installation for Claude Desktop

Prerequisites

• Node.js

Setup

1. Clone this repository

2. Install dependencies

npm install

3. Build and start the project

npm run build
npm run start

4. Add the following to your MCP client configuration (~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp-national-rail": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/mcp-national-rail/dist/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "RTT_API_USERNAME": "your_rtt_api_username",
        "RTT_API_PASSWORD": "your_rtt_api_password"
      }
    }
  }
}

Make sure to replace "/path/to/mcp-national-rail/dist/index.js" with the actual path and add your RTT API username and password which can be created from here: https://api.rtt.io/

5. Restart Claude

Development

• Create .env file based on the example file

RTT_API_USERNAME=your_rtt_api_username
RTT_API_PASSWORD=your_rtt_api_password

Run the inspector with the following command:

npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector node dist/index.js