jcsaaddupuy/osm-routing

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name: osm-routing description: Calculate routes (walk, bike, car) using free OSM APIs - OSRM and Valhalla

OSM Routing

Calculate routes using OSRM (fast) and Valhalla (quality).

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Quick Start

OSRM - Fast (GET, 100ms)

# Car route
curl "https://router.project-osrm.org/route/v1/car/LON1,LAT1;LON2,LAT2" | jq '.routes[0]'

# Example: 2.4427,48.8663 → 2.4285,48.8485
curl -s "https://router.project-osrm.org/route/v1/bike/2.4427,48.8663;2.4285,48.8485" | jq '.routes[0] | {distance_m: .distance, duration_sec: .duration}'

# Walking route with full geometry (for plotting on maps)
curl -s "https://router.project-osrm.org/route/v1/foot/2.4427,48.8663;2.4285,48.8485?overview=full&geometries=geojson" | jq '.routes[0].geometry'
# Returns GeoJSON coordinates: [[lon, lat], [lon, lat], ...]

Valhalla - Quality (POST, 300-500ms)

# Pedestrian (best for walking)
curl -s -X POST "https://valhalla1.openstreetmap.de/route" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"locations":[{"lat":48.8663,"lon":2.4427},{"lat":48.8485,"lon":2.4285}],"costing":"pedestrian"}' | \
  jq '.trip | {distance_m: .summary.length, duration_sec: .summary.time}'

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OSRM Routes

Profiles: foot, car, bike

Basic Route

curl "https://router.project-osrm.org/route/v1/{profile}/{lon1},{lat1};{lon2},{lat2}"

Walking Route with Full Geometry

# Returns GeoJSON polyline for plotting on maps
curl -s "https://router.project-osrm.org/route/v1/foot/{lon1},{lat1};{lon2},{lat2}?overview=full&geometries=geojson" | jq '.routes[0].geometry'
# Coordinates: [[lon, lat], [lon, lat], ...]

Multiple Waypoints

curl -s "https://router.project-osrm.org/route/v1/bike/2.4427,48.8663;2.4285,48.8485;2.3522,48.8530" | jq '.routes[0].legs[]'

With Details

curl "https://router.project-osrm.org/route/v1/car/2.4427,48.8663;2.4285,48.8485?overview=full&steps=true&alternatives=true&geometries=geojson"

Distance Matrix

curl -s "https://router.project-osrm.org/table/v1/bike/2.4427,48.8663;2.4285,48.8485;2.3522,48.8530" | jq '.distances'

Snap to Road

curl -s "https://router.project-osrm.org/nearest/v1/car/2.4427,48.8663" | jq '.waypoints[0]'

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Valhalla Routes

Costing: pedestrian, bicycle, auto, taxi, bikeshare

Pedestrian

curl -s -X POST "https://valhalla1.openstreetmap.de/route" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"locations":[{"lat":LAT1,"lon":LON1},{"lat":LAT2,"lon":LON2}],"costing":"pedestrian"}' | \
  jq '.trip | {distance: .summary.length, time: .summary.time}'

Bicycle (Avoid Major Roads)

curl -s -X POST "https://valhalla1.openstreetmap.de/route" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"locations":[{"lat":48.8663,"lon":2.4427},{"lat":48.8485,"lon":2.4285}],"costing":"bicycle","costing_options":{"bicycle":{"use_roads":0.0}}}' | \
  jq '.trip.summary'

Car (Avoid Tolls)

curl -s -X POST "https://valhalla1.openstreetmap.de/route" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"locations":[{"lat":48.8663,"lon":2.4427},{"lat":48.8485,"lon":2.4285}],"costing":"auto","costing_options":{"auto":{"toll_booth_factor":1000}}}' | \
  jq '.trip.summary'

Turn-by-Turn

curl -s -X POST "https://valhalla1.openstreetmap.de/route" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"locations":[{"lat":48.8663,"lon":2.4427},{"lat":48.8485,"lon":2.4285}],"costing":"pedestrian"}' | \
  jq '.trip.legs[].maneuvers[] | {instruction, distance: .distance.value, time: .time}'

Multiple Waypoints

curl -s -X POST "https://valhalla1.openstreetmap.de/route" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"locations":[{"lat":48.8663,"lon":2.4427},{"lat":48.8566,"lon":2.3522},{"lat":48.8485,"lon":2.4285}],"costing":"bicycle"}' | \
  jq '.trip | {total_distance: .summary.length, legs: (.legs | length)}'

Isochrone (Reachability)

curl -s -X POST "https://valhalla1.openstreetmap.de/isochrone" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"locations":[{"lat":48.8663,"lon":2.4427}],"costing":"bicycle","contours":[{"time":15}]}' | \
  jq '.features[0].geometry'

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API Selection

| Use | API | Command | |-----|-----|---------| | Walking route (geometry for maps) | OSRM | GET /route/v1/foot/...?overview=full&geometries=geojson | | Quick car | OSRM | GET simple | | Pedestrian (detailed) | Valhalla | POST pedestrian | | Bike avoid roads | Valhalla | POST + options | | Multiple points | OSRM | table | | Directions | Valhalla | maneuvers |

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Advanced

Compare Both

OSRM=$(curl -s "https://router.project-osrm.org/route/v1/bike/2.4427,48.8663;2.4285,48.8485" | jq '.routes[0].distance')
VALHALLA=$(curl -s -X POST "https://valhalla1.openstreetmap.de/route" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"locations":[{"lat":48.8663,"lon":2.4427},{"lat":48.8485,"lon":2.4285}],"costing":"bicycle"}' | \
  jq '.trip.summary.length')
echo "OSRM: ${OSRM}m | Valhalla: ${VALHALLA}m"

Nearest Destination

for loc in "48.8566:2.3522" "48.8485:2.4285"; do
  IFS=':' read lat lon <<< "$loc"
  TIME=$(curl -s "https://router.project-osrm.org/route/v1/bike/2.4427,48.8663;$lon,$lat" | jq '.routes[0].duration')
  echo "$lat,$lon: ${TIME}s"
done | sort -t: -k2 -n

Test All Modes

for mode in foot car bike; do
  OSRM=$(curl -s "https://router.project-osrm.org/route/v1/$mode/2.4427,48.8663;2.4285,48.8485" | jq '.routes[0] | "\(.distance)m / \(.duration)s"')
  echo "$mode: $OSRM"
done

for costing in pedestrian bicycle auto; do
  VALHALLA=$(curl -s -X POST "https://valhalla1.openstreetmap.de/route" \
    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
    -d "{\"locations\":[{\"lat\":48.8663,\"lon\":2.4427},{\"lat\":48.8485,\"lon\":2.4285}],\"costing\":\"$costing\"}" | \
    jq '.trip.summary | "\(.length)m / \(.time)s"')
  echo "$costing: $VALHALLA"
done

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API Choice: OSRM fast/simple, Valhalla better pedestrian/bike/details Resources: OSRM | Valhalla | OSM Wiki