NS Travel Information MCP Server

Overview

The NS Travel Information MCP Server bridges Claude and other AI assistants to the real‑time data hub of Dutch railways (Nederlandse Spoorwegen). By exposing a rich set of endpoints—departures, arrivals, delays, platform details, accessibility information, and fare calculations—the server turns an AI assistant into a knowledgeable travel companion that can answer complex routing queries, provide live status updates, and even recommend the most convenient journeys for families or commuters. For developers building travel‑oriented chatbots, this integration eliminates the need to manually consume and parse the NS API, offering a ready‑made, MCP‑compatible interface that can be invoked with natural language commands.

What Problem Does It Solve?

Travel planning in the Netherlands often requires juggling multiple sources: timetable websites, mobile apps, and real‑time alerts. Developers creating conversational agents typically need to fetch data from the NS API, handle authentication, parse JSON responses, and format results for users. The MCP server abstracts all of that complexity, presenting a clean toolset that AI assistants can call directly. This reduces boilerplate code, speeds up prototyping, and ensures consistent data handling across different client platforms.

Key Features in Plain Language

• Real‑time departures and arrivals: Retrieve up‑to‑date platform numbers, expected delays, and travel notes for any station.
• Accessibility & station details: Query wheelchair access, available facilities, and bike‑parking options (OV‑fiets) at specific stations.
• Route planning: Ask for alternative routes when maintenance or delays affect the direct line, including transfer counts and stroller‑friendly options.
• Fare calculations: Compute ticket prices for various passenger types (adults, children) and travel classes.
• Event‑driven alerts: Monitor weekend engineering works or special service changes that might impact regular commuters.

Real‑World Use Cases

Developers can embed this server into chatbots that handle everyday commuting questions: “Is my 8:15 train from Almere to Amsterdam on time?” or “Which station has the fewest transfers for a stroller?” It also supports more complex scenarios, such as advising on wheelchair‑accessible routes or estimating the cost of a multi‑passenger trip. By integrating directly into AI workflows, the server enables instant, contextually relevant responses without exposing raw API keys to end users.

Integration with AI Workflows

Because it follows the MCP specification, the server can be added to Claude Desktop or any other MCP‑compatible client with a single configuration line. Once registered, the AI can invoke tools like , , or as part of its natural language reasoning. The server’s responses are structured and typed, allowing the assistant to perform further calculations or generate summaries before presenting them to the user. This tight coupling means developers can focus on higher‑level conversational logic rather than low‑level API plumbing.

Unique Advantages

Unlike generic travel APIs, this server is tailored specifically to the Dutch rail network, providing nuanced data such as platform changes, engineering works, and local accessibility features. It also bundles all endpoints under a single MCP server, simplifying authentication (a single API key) and versioning. The result is a lightweight, highly focused tool that gives AI assistants the depth of knowledge required for reliable Dutch train travel assistance.