# overpass.ch (remote · api.overpass.ch)

Overpass API on the full planet with history, plus geocoding and elevation. Needs an API key.

- Trust score: 71/100 (medium)
- Registry status: active
- Liveness: live
- Owner verified: no
- Last scored: 2026-11-04

## Components

- remote · `api.overpass.ch`: 0/100, [markdown](https://verifymcp.io/servers/ch-overpass-overpass/v1-api-key-mcp.md), [page](https://verifymcp.io/servers/ch-overpass-overpass/v1-api-key-mcp)
- remote · `api.overpass.ch`: 71/100 (this document), [markdown](https://verifymcp.io/servers/ch-overpass-overpass/v1-mcp.md), [page](https://verifymcp.io/servers/ch-overpass-overpass/v1-mcp)

## Channel facts

- Endpoint: `https://api.overpass.ch/v1/mcp`
- Transports: `streamable-http`
- Auth: `none`
- Version: `1.0.2`

## Trust breakdown

How this component scores in each security and reliability category. Every signal is checked automatically against the live server, and we only credit what we can confirm. Scores are 0–100 per category. Scoring method: https://verifymcp.io/docs/scoring (what has changed: https://verifymcp.io/docs/scoring/changelog)

Scored 2026-11-04.

- **Endpoint Security**: 83/100
  - The endpoint's TLS certificate is valid, in date, and uses a strong key.
  - No authorisation is required to call this server. Every tool declares its destructiveHint and none is destructive, so open access doesn't expose one.
  - HTTPS is enforced; there's no plaintext access path.
  - The HSTS (Strict-Transport-Security) header is present.
  - DNSSEC is configured correctly; the domain's records validate against the full chain to the root.
- **Transport & Reachability**: 100/100
  - Verified streamable-http transport via a live MCP handshake.
- **Schema Quality & AI Usability**: 58/100
  - AI-judged instruction clarity (good).
  - Context-footprint check failed: tool/resource definitions use about 1783 tokens (~254/item across 7 items; 7 tools + 0 resources), over budget; trim descriptions and params.
  - Usage-examples check failed: none of the tools include examples.
- **Stability & Change Management**: 0/100
  - Stability not yet verified: not enough scan history yet (needs a 30-day window).
- **Tool Coverage**: 98/100
  - 100% of tools have a non-trivial description (not blank, and not just the tool's name).
  - 95% of tool parameters carry a description.
- **Tool Safety**: 100/100
  - No prompt-injection markers were found in the server instructions, tool names or descriptions we captured.
  - We read all 7 captured tool definition(s), and no name or description among them implies an irreversible operation.
  - An AI judge read all 8 captured unit(s) of tool text and found none that tries to manipulate the model reading it.
- **Capabilities**: 100/100
  - Implements a current MCP spec version (2026-07-28).

**Unverified: 1 category.** A category scored 0 because we could not verify it: authentication we do not have, an unreachable endpoint, or not enough scan history. We only credit what we can confirm.

## Install

### How do I install the overpass.ch MCP server?

overpass.ch is a hosted endpoint at https://api.overpass.ch/v1/mcp, so there is nothing to install locally. Ready-made configuration for Claude, Cursor, VS Code, Codex and 5 more is on this page, copied from each client's own documentation.

### Claude

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http ch-overpass-overpass 'https://api.overpass.ch/v1/mcp'
```

### Cursor

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ch-overpass-overpass": {
      "url": "https://api.overpass.ch/v1/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

### VS Code

```json
{
  "servers": {
    "ch-overpass-overpass": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://api.overpass.ch/v1/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

### Codex

```toml
[mcp_servers.ch-overpass-overpass]
url = "https://api.overpass.ch/v1/mcp"
```

### opencode

```json
{
  "$schema": "https://opencode.ai/config.json",
  "mcp": {
    "ch-overpass-overpass": {
      "type": "remote",
      "url": "https://api.overpass.ch/v1/mcp",
      "enabled": true
    }
  }
}
```

### OpenClaw

```bash
openclaw mcp add ch-overpass-overpass --url 'https://api.overpass.ch/v1/mcp' --transport streamable-http
```

### Hermes

```yaml
mcp_servers:
  ch-overpass-overpass:
    url: "https://api.overpass.ch/v1/mcp"
```

### Netclaw

```json
{
  "McpServers": {
    "ch-overpass-overpass": {
      "Transport": "http",
      "Url": "https://api.overpass.ch/v1/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

### Vellum

```bash
assistant mcp add ch-overpass-overpass -t streamable-http -u 'https://api.overpass.ch/v1/mcp'
```

### Other

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ch-overpass-overpass": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://api.overpass.ch/v1/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

The mcpServers block is a cross-client convention. Remote transports vary, so check your client's docs.

## Changelog

Every change recorded for this component, newest first. Days that predate change tracking, or that we cannot explain, say so: "we were watching and nothing happened" and "we were not watching" are different claims.

### 2026-11-04 (score 71)

First indexed and scored.

## MCP tools (7)

### `overpass_query` (~527 tokens)

Run an Overpass query

Runs an Overpass QL query on the full OpenStreetMap planet at overpass.ch (minutely updates) and returns the matching nodes, ways and relations with their tags.
Start the query with a settings line such as [out:json][timeout:25]; JSON is used when the query does not set [out:]. [timeout:N] stops the query after N s: at most 120 s through this tool, and the plan may allow less.
Patterns:
\- Box (south,west,north,east): nwr["amenity"="cafe"](47.36,8.53,47.38,8.55); out center;
\- Radius in metres around lat,lon: nwr["amenity"="pharmacy"](around:1000,47.3769,8.5417); out center;
\- In a place: overpass_area_id from geocode_search, then area(id:3600051701)->.a; nwr["tourism"="hotel"](area.a); out center;
\- By name (exact, local language): area["name"="Wien"]["admin_level"="4"]->.a;
\- Count: out count;  Tags only: out tags;  At most 50: out center 50;  Lines with coordinates: out geom; (large)
\- Regex, any case: ["name"~"^Bahnhof",i]
\- By id: node(3470507586); out;  way(id:1,2,3); out tags;
\- The map at a past date (Medium and Large plans): [date:"2015-01-01T00:00:00Z"] in the settings line.
The answer starts with counts and the date of the data, then one JSON object per element and line, up to max_chars characters. When it is cut, call again with offset, or narrow the query. Each call counts as one request of the plan, a cut one too. Data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Input parameters:

- `add_elevation` (boolean): add the height in metres to every point of a JSON answer; one elevation lookup per point
- `max_chars` (integer): most characters of the answer to show; larger answers are cut, and offset shows the next part
- `offset` (integer): the element (or CSV row) to start at, for the next part of a cut answer
- `query` (string, required): the Overpass QL (or XML) query

### `overpass_examples` (~107 tokens)

Find example Overpass queries

Searches the cookbook of overpass.ch: Overpass queries that were tested on the full planet, with explanations. Give a topic in a few words, such as "bakeries in a city", "hiking routes", "count buildings" or "changes since a date", and get the 5 closest examples with their query and a link. Free: it does not count as a request.

Input parameters:

- `topic` (string, required): what the query should find, in a few English words

### `geocode_search` (~235 tokens)

Find a place by name

Finds places, addresses and points of interest by name (geocoding). Partial text works, as for autocomplete. Each result has the name, the address, lat and lon, a bounding box (south, west, north, east), the OpenStreetMap element (osm), and for ways and relations an overpass_area_id to use in overpass_query as area(id:N). Languages: en, de, fr. One call counts as one geocoding request.

Input parameters:

- `country_codes` (array): only results in these countries, ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes such as CH or DE
- `kind` (string): only places of this kind; settlement is a city, town, village or district
- `language` (string): language of the names and addresses; the local names when not set
- `limit` (integer): most results
- `near` (object): prefer results near this point
- `query` (string, required): what to find, such as "Bundesplatz 3, Bern", "Zermatt" or "Louvre"
- `within` (object)

### `geocode_reverse` (~143 tokens)

Find the address at a point

Finds the address or place at a point (reverse geocoding). detail chooses what to return: the nearest address or object (address, the default), the street, the district, the city, the county, the state or the country that contains the point. The result has the same fields as those of geocode_search. One call counts as one geocoding request.

Input parameters:

- `detail` (string): what to return
- `language` (string): language of the names and addresses; the local names when not set
- `lat` (number, required): latitude, -90 to 90
- `lon` (number, required): longitude, -180 to 180

### `elevation_points` (~145 tokens)

Heights of points

Heights above sea level in metres for a list of points, negative at sea. Switzerland and Liechtenstein: swissALTI3D, a 2 m grid of the ground (credit "© swisstopo"). Elsewhere on land: Copernicus GLO-30, a 30 m grid of the surface that includes buildings and trees. At sea: GEBCO. Each point counts as one lookup; account_status shows the plan maximum per call.

Input parameters:

- `max_chars` (integer): most characters of the answer to show; larger answers are cut, and offset shows the next part
- `points` (array, required): the points, each with lat and lon

### `elevation_profile` (~134 tokens)

Elevation profile of a path

Elevation profile along a path of two or more points: distance, ascent, descent, the lowest and the highest point, and up to 100 points along the way (distance from the start, height, lat, lon). The path is sampled every 90 m unless samples or interval_m is set. Each sample counts as one lookup, up to the plan maximum per call.

Input parameters:

- `interval_m` (number): metres between samples, at least 10
- `path` (array, required): the points of the path in order, each with lat and lon
- `samples` (integer): number of samples along the path

### `account_status` (~79 tokens)

Plan and usage of this key

The plan of the API key of this connection and its use this month: Overpass requests used and left, when the allowance starts again, running queries, elevation lookups, geocoding requests, and the date of the data. It names the products on a free plan, which is not for commercial use. It does not count as a request.

## Diagnostics

Captured diagnostic sections: TLS, DNSSEC, Authorisation, Transports. The full working is on the page: https://verifymcp.io/servers/ch-overpass-overpass/v1-mcp#diagnostics

## Score history

- 2026-11-04: 71

## Common questions

### What is the overpass.ch MCP server?

overpass.ch is an MCP server listed in the public MCP registry as ch.overpass/overpass. Overpass API on the full planet with history, plus geocoding and elevation. Needs an API key. This page covers its hosted endpoint (https://api.overpass.ch/v1/mcp).

### Is the overpass.ch MCP server safe to use?

overpass.ch scores 71 out of 100 on VerifyMCP. That is a record of what we were able to check automatically, not an endorsement. The category breakdown on this page shows every signal behind the number, including the ones we could not confirm.

### What tools does the overpass.ch MCP server expose?

overpass.ch exposes 7 tools: overpass_query, overpass_examples, geocode_search, geocode_reverse, elevation_points, and 2 more. Their descriptions and schemas cost roughly 1,370 tokens of context every time the server is loaded.

### Does the overpass.ch MCP server require authentication?

No. We connected to overpass.ch without credentials and it answered, so anything it exposes is reachable by anyone who knows the address.

### Is the overpass.ch MCP server still maintained?

overpass.ch is still listed as active in the MCP registry. We last reached this channel on 4 November 2026. Those dates come from our own scans of the registry and the channel itself, not from anything the publisher announced.

## Links

- Remote endpoint: https://api.overpass.ch/v1/mcp
- Authorisation metadata: https://api.overpass.ch/.well-known/oauth-protected-resource/v1/mcp
- Repository: https://github.com/cdutsov/overpass-mcp
- Website: https://overpass.ch/guides/overpass-mcp-server
- Changelog RSS feed: https://verifymcp.io/servers/ch-overpass-overpass/v1-mcp.xml
- Changelog JSON feed: https://verifymcp.io/servers/ch-overpass-overpass/v1-mcp.json
- HTML version of this page: https://verifymcp.io/servers/ch-overpass-overpass/v1-mcp