Export OpenStreetMap Data with Overpass Turbo

Learn how to query and extract OSM data with Overpass Turbo.

This tutorial guides users through exporting OpenStreetMap data using Overpass Turbo. It’s designed for those familiar with OpenStreetMap data who want to learn advanced query techniques for extracting specific map features. For newcomers, the introductory tutorial on Importing OpenStreetMap Data is recommended first.

What is Overpass Turbo?

The Overpass Turbo web interface enables querying OpenStreetMap data to extract map features such as waterways, commercial businesses, fountains, and more. The OpenStreetMap wiki provides comprehensive documentation on all tagged map features.

Overpass Turbo works best for extracting small datasets, particularly when zoomed into specific areas. For larger datasets, the Overpass API is recommended instead. However, Overpass Turbo serves as an excellent testing interface for Overpass API queries with immediate visual results.

The Overpass Turbo Web Interface

Access the tool directly at Overpass Turbo. The left sidebar allows you to write and execute queries, with the “Run” option displaying results on the map.

Key menu features include:

• Export: Download your OpenStreetMap data
• Wizard: Assists in query construction
• Load: Access sample queries

Map navigation options include:

• Search bar for location lookup
• Plus/minus icons for zooming
• “Locate me” option for current location

Running Queries in Overpass Turbo

Sample queries search for specific features using OpenStreetMap’s data structure. Queries target feature types (node, way, relation) and tag combinations like “amenity=drinking_water,” filtered by the map’s bounding box.

The “Wizard” menu option streamlines this process by automatically building and executing queries for selected map features.

Using OpenStreetMap Data in CARTO

Select the “Export” menu option and choose a supported file format (GeoJSON, KML, GPX). The downloaded file can then be imported into CARTO by navigating to the Datasets section and selecting “Connect Dataset.”

Attribution Requirements

Per OpenStreetMap’s Copyright and License agreement, proper credit is mandatory:

Data (c) OpenStreetMap (http://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright) contributors
Data mining by Overpass API (http://overpass-api.de/)

Add attribution through the dataset metadata by selecting “Edit metadata” in the Data View of the CARTO Editor. With proper attribution, you can now use OpenStreetMap data across any CARTO map.