Introduction
This document introduces the Traffic API and:
- explains key concepts
- provides examples
- documents resources and query parameters
- documents response structures and data types
For the terms and conditions covering this documentation, see the HERE Documentation License.
What Is the Traffic API?
The HERE Traffic API is a REST API that provides traffic flow and incidents information. This API also allows you to request traffic map tiles that visualize the data available.
Why Use the Traffic API?
The Traffic API provides resources to address the following high-level use cases:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Traffic Incident Data | The API provides aggregated information about traffic incidents in XML or JSON, including the type and location of each traffic incident, status, start and end time, and other relevant data. This data is useful to dynamically optimize route calculations. |
| Traffic Map Tile Overlays (Traffic Tiles) | The API delivers pre-rendered map tile overlays with traffic information that you can readily display with your mapping application. You can request map tiles that show traffic data for a specific area. |
| Traffic Flow Data | The API provides access to real-time traffic flow data in XML or JSON, including information on speed and congestion for the region(s) defined in each request. The API can also deliver additional data such as the geometry of the road segments in relation to the flow. |
| Traffic Flow Availability | The API allows client applications to access traffic flow information (excluding incidents) in an area, if available. The area is specified by a map segment (defined as a map view) or for the whole world (without the map view). |
