mcp-national-railA Model Context Protocol (MCP) server to retrieve train schedules from National Rail

What are the main limitations or prerequisites for using this tool?

The server requires Node.js and a Realtime Trains API account for authentication. Manual configuration is needed unless using Smithery, and the code is written in TypeScript, so some basic programming knowledge may be helpful for troubleshooting.

Asked by Xavier Costa · Oct 4, 2025

What train schedule data can AI agents fetch with this MCP server?

The server exposes four tools: `get_live_departures`, `get_live_arrivals`, `get_departures_by_date`, and `get_arrivals_by_date`, allowing agents to retrieve both real‑time and scheduled departure and arrival information for National Rail services.

Asked by Dmitri Volkov · Sep 13, 2025

What credentials do I need to use the server?

You must create a Realtime Trains API account at https://api.rtt.io/ and note your API username and password. These should be set as `RTT_API_USERNAME` and `RTT_API_PASSWORD` in either an `.env` file or the Claude config environment block.

Asked by Daniel Schmidt · Aug 11, 2025

How do I install and run mcp-national-rail on my machine?

You can install it automatically with Smithery by running `npx y @smithery/cli install @lucygoodchild/mcp-national-rail-client-claude`. For a manual setup, clone the repo, run `npm install`, then build with `npm run build` and start with `npm run start`. Finally, add the server entry to Claude Desktop’s config JSON with the correct path and your RTT API credentials.

Asked by Lorenzo Bianchi · Jun 14, 2025