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Authorization

Follow this guide to create a new Transport for London (TFL) credential that will allow Nexla to authenticate to and exchange data with the TFL API.
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Transport For London (TFL)

Prerequisites​

Before creating a TFL credential, you need to register for an Application Key on the TFL API Portal. TFL uses API key authentication for all API requests, with the Application Key sent as a URL parameter (app_key).

To obtain your TFL Application Key, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the TFL API Portal in your web browser.

  2. Click Sign in or Register to create a new account or sign in to your existing account.

  3. If you're creating a new account, complete the registration process by providing your email address and creating a password.

  4. After signing in, navigate to My Account or Applications in the API Portal.

  5. Click Create Application or Register Application to create a new application for API access.

  6. Configure your application settings:

    • Enter a name for the application (e.g., "Nexla Integration")
    • Enter an application description (optional)
    • Review and accept the terms of service

  7. Click Create or Register to create the application.

  8. After the application is created, you will be provided with your Application Key. Copy the Application Key immediately, as it may not be accessible again after you navigate away from the page.

  9. Store the Application Key securely, as you will need it to configure your Nexla credential. The Application Key is sensitive information and should be kept confidential.

The Application Key is sent as the app_key URL parameter for all API requests to the TFL API. The key authenticates your requests and grants access to TFL data feeds based on your application's subscription. Without an API key, access is limited to 50 requests per minute. If your Application Key is compromised, you should immediately revoke it in the TFL API Portal and generate a new one. For detailed information about API registration, authentication, and available endpoints, refer to the TFL API Portal and TFL API documentation.

Create a TFL Credential​

  • To create a new TFL credential, after selecting the data source/destination type, click the Add Credential tile to open the Add New Credential overlay.

New Credential Overlay – Transport For London (TFL)

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Credential Name & Description​

  1. Enter a name for the credential in the Credential Name field and a short, meaningful description in the Credential Description field.

    Resource descriptions are recommended but are not required. They should be used provide information about the resource purpose, data freshness, etc. that can help the owner and other users efficiently understand and utilize the resource.

Application Key Authentication​

TFL uses API key authentication for all API requests. The Application Key is sent as a URL parameter (app_key) in all API requests.

  1. Enter your TFL Application Key in the Application Key field. This is the Application Key you obtained from the TFL API Portal (https://api-portal.tfl.gov.uk/) when creating your application. The Application Key is sent as the app_key URL parameter for all API requests to the TFL API. The Application Key is sensitive information and must be kept confidential.

    Your TFL Application Key can be found in the TFL API Portal (https://api-portal.tfl.gov.uk/) under My Account > Applications. The Application Key is generated when you create an application.

    The Application Key is sent as the app_key URL parameter for all API requests to the TFL API. Without an API key, access is limited to 50 requests per minute. The key authenticates your requests and grants access to TFL data feeds based on your application's subscription.

    If your Application Key is compromised, you should immediately revoke it in the TFL API Portal and generate a new one. The Application Key provides access to TFL data feeds and should be treated as sensitive information. Keep your Application Key secure and do not share it publicly.

    For detailed information about API registration, authentication, and available endpoints, see the TFL API Portal and TFL API documentation.

Save the Credential​

  1. Once all of the relevant steps in the above sections have been completed, click the Save button at the bottom of the overlay to save the configured credential.

  2. The newly added credential will now appear in a tile on the Authenticate screen during data source/destination creation and can be selected for use with a new data source or destination.