GuidesAPI Reference
Guides
  1. Vector Tile API Dev Guide
  2. HERE Vector Tile API concepts
  3. Tile layers - HERE Vector Tile API

Transit layer for Japan (deprecated)

📘

Note

The transit layer as a part of default content is deprecated in favour of a new transit layer.

You can request the new transit layer format by adding the following parameter to your query: content=default,transit. For more information, see Optional content.

The transit layer provides information about public transportation systems, such as buses, trains, subways, and other modes of public transit. The features of this layer enable developers to integrate public transit data into applications or services, allowing users to plan routes, view schedules, and obtain real-time information about public transportation options.

📘

Note

The transit layer features are currently available only for the Japan region as part of the core map parameter.

The following figure illustrates sample features of the transit layer rendered from the data:

Sample transit layer features in Tokyo

The layer content has the following definition:

  • Layer name: transit
  • Geometry types: polygon, line

Transit line features become visible from zoom level 7 onwards, while platform polygons are added at zoom level 14 and higher. To optimize efficiency, features with the same line geometry, kind, and kind_detail are consolidated. This consolidation allows the storage of transit routes, colors, and color names in properties like all_ref, all_colour, and all_text_colour.

Shared properties

Every feature in the transit layer includes a set of properties that define it, regardless of the specific transit type it represents.

📘

Note

These properties are referred to as common properties in the Tilezen schema. For more information, see Tile layers.

Consider the following sample parameters for a transit feature in Japan:

...
"kind": "train",
"kind_detail": "intercity",
"min_zoom": 8,
"sort_rank": 436,
"all_ref": "東北本線;宇都宮線",
"all_ref:en": "Tohoku Line;Utsunomiya Line",
"all_ref:zh": "東北本線;宇都宮線",
"all_ref:ko": "도호쿠 본선;우쓰노미야 선",
"all_ref:ja": "東北本線;宇都宮線",
"all_colour": "#00BB85;#FF871C",
"all_direction": ";F",
"all_text_colour": "#00BB85;#FF871C"
"all_operator": "Main Line;Main Line",
...

In the context of this example, consider the following transit feature properties:

  • kind - The general type of transit feature.
  • kind_detail - This property provides additional details about the kind of transit feature. This parameter is relevant only within the context of the line geometry type.
  • min_zoom - The recommended minimum zoom level at which the transit feature should be displayed.
  • sort_rank - A value used to prioritize the display order of different types of transit features on the map. A transit feature with a higher sort_rank value is displayed on top of a transit feature with a lower sort_rank value.
  • all_ref - A semicolon-separated list of all the routes valid on this transit feature. In the example, the train line has two routes: "東北本線" and "宇都宮線". This parameter is relevant only within the context of the line geometry type.
  • all_ref:* - Localized reference values for all the routes. For example, in English, the routes from the example are referred to as "Tohoku Line" and "Utsunomiya Line". The same routes are also provided in other languages as identified by ISO 639-1 two-letter language codes.
  • all_colour - A semicolon-separated list of hex values representing the colors for the routes valid on this line. For example, all_colour="#00BB85;#FF871C". The first color #00BB85 corresponds to the 東北本線 (Tohoku Line) route, and the second color #FF871C corresponds to the 宇都宮線 (Utsunomiya Line) route.
  • all_direction - The parameter all_direction specifies all the directions of the routes that are valid on a particular line. The values are provided as semicolon-separated values. The following conventions are used:
    • F represents the forward direction of the route.
    • B represents the backward direction of the route.
    • An empty value indicates that the route has both directions.

The direction values correspond to the values of the all_ref parameter, and they are matched in the given order.

For example, if all_direction is set to ";F", as shown in the example, it means that the Tohoku Line route is valid in both directions, while the Utsunomiya Line route is valid only in the forward direction.

This parameter is relevant only within the context of the line geometry type.

  • all_text_colour - Colors used for drawing the text of reference values for the routes valid on this line. It follows the same format as all_colour. This parameter is relevant only within the context of the line geometry type.
  • all_operator - A semicolon-separated list of operator IDs for the routes valid on this line. For example, all_operator="Main Line;Main Line". The first operator ID corresponds to the operator of the 東北本線 (Tohoku Line) route, and the second operator ID corresponds to the operator of the 宇都宮線 (Utsunomiya Line) route.

The following figure shows sample transit features, as rendered on map in the form of lines or polygons:

Sample transit feature

Japan-specific kind definitions and sort ranks in the core map

The following list provides Japan-specific kind values for transit layer features and their corresponding sort_rank values. These kind values are available only within the core map parameter.

For more information about the map parameters available in the HERE Vector Tile API, see Map Parameter.

  • railway_station_platform - (sort_rank: 385) - Platform of a railway station.
  • subway_station_platform - (sort_rank: 385) - Platform of a subway station.
  • funicular (sort_rank: 430) - A transportation system that uses cable-operated cars on steep inclines.
  • monorail (sort_rank: 431) - A railway system where the trains run on a single rail.
  • subway (sort_rank: 432) - An underground or elevated railway system typically found in urban areas.
  • light_rail (sort_rank: 429, 433) - A type of urban rail transit that operates with light capacity and shares tracks with other vehicles. The actual sort_rank value depends on the specific kind_detail for this feature instance.
  • train (sort_rank: 435, 436, 437) - A general term referring to a mode of transportation that runs on tracks, typically used for intercity or regional travel. The actual sort_rank value depends on the specific kind_detail for this feature instance.
  • aerial (sort_rank: 442) - A transportation system that operates above ground level, such as an aerial tramway or gondola.

Additional kind information for Japan-specific feature kinds

These kind_detail values provide additional information about the transit feature type in Japan, within the core map parameter. For more information about the map parameters available in the HERE Vector Tile API, see Map Parameter.

  • tram (sort_rank: 429) - Represents tram lines for the light_rail kind.
  • suburban (sort_rank: 433) - Indicates suburban rail lines for the light_rail kind.
  • funicular (sort_rank: 430) - Indicates funicular lines for the funicular kind.
  • monorail (sort_rank: 431) - Denotes monorail lines for the monorail kind.
  • subway (sort_rank: 432) - Represents subway lines for the subway kind.
  • regional (sort_rank: 435) - Denotes regional railroad lines with the train kind.
  • intercity (sort_rank: 436) - Represents intercity railroad lines with the train kind.
  • high_speed (sort_rank: 437) - Indicates high-speed railroad lines with the train kind.
  • aerial (sort_rank: 442) - Denotes aerial cable car or gondola lines for the aerial kind.

Next steps

  • For more information about other layer feature types available in the HERE Vector Tile API, see Tile Layers.

Updated last month