Mapping VIA Routes

A Python application that visualizes VIA Rail routes using GTFS (General Transit Feed Specification) data. This tool allows users to select and view specific VIA Rail routes on an interactive map, displaying both the route path and stop locations.

Features

• Route Selection: Command-line interface to choose from available VIA Rail routes
• Route Visualization: Plot routes on a map using latitude and longitude coordinates
• Stop Locations: Display all stops along the selected route with stop names

Prerequisites

Before running this application, ensure you have the following installed:

• Python 3.6 or higher
• Required Python packages (see Installation section)

Installation

1. Clone or download this repository to your local machine
2. Install the required Python packages:

pip install pandas matplotlib numpy

Data Files

This application requires the following CSV files in the same directory as VIA.py:

• routes.csv - Contains route information (route_id, route names, etc.)
• shapes.csv - Contains geographic coordinates for route paths
• trips.csv - Links routes to specific trips and shapes
• stop_times.csv - Contains timing information for stops
• stops.csv - Contains stop location and name information

This data was obtained from VIA RAIL: https://www.viarail.ca/en/developer-resources

Usage

1. Ensure all required CSV files are in the same directory as VIA.py
2. Run the application:

python VIA.py

Technical Details

• Data Processing: Uses pandas for efficient CSV data handling
• Visualization: Matplotlib for creating route maps
• Coordinate System: Works with latitude/longitude coordinates
• File Format: Compatible with standard GTFS data feeds