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Convert FlatGeobuf to GPX Online — Free GIS Converter

Convert FlatGeobuf (.fgb) tracks, routes, and waypoints to GPX format for GPS devices, Garmin, Strava, and navigation apps — browser-based with automatic CRS detection.

Updated May 2026

Trail networks, route datasets, and waypoint collections stored in FlatGeobuf can be taken directly to a GPS device or outdoor navigation app by converting to GPX — convert your .fgb file to .gpx with geodata.plus.

Why convert FlatGeobuf to GPX?

FlatGeobuf is used in GIS pipelines to store and serve large trail network, cycling route, or transportation datasets efficiently. But when the end consumer is a GPS device, a Garmin watch, a Strava route, or an AllTrails upload, GPX is the only universally accepted format. Converting FlatGeobuf to GPX bridges the gap between back-end data infrastructure and front-end navigation use cases.

Land management agencies, trail associations, and cycling clubs often maintain authoritative route data in modern formats like FlatGeobuf and need to export GPX versions for public download portals, device uploads, and app integrations. This conversion handles that handoff automatically.

Why use geodata.plus

  • Free tier — convert up to 3 files per month at no cost, no credit card required
  • Automatic CRS detection — reads the CRS from the FlatGeobuf header and reprojects to WGS 84 as required by GPX
  • Optional reprojection — always outputs WGS 84 (EPSG:4326) coordinates in decimal degrees as required by the GPX specification
  • Browser-based — no QGIS, GDAL, or GPS management software needed; works on any modern browser
  • Encrypted transfer — all uploads use TLS; files are stored temporarily in Cloudflare R2 and automatically deleted on schedule
  • Auto-deleted output — output files are automatically deleted after 2 days (free tier) and 7 days (Pro); no manual cleanup needed

How it works

  1. Upload your FlatGeobuf file (.fgb) using the widget above
  2. geodata.plus reads the CRS and geometry type from the FlatGeobuf header
  3. Select GPX as the output format; linestrings become tracks, points become waypoints, and coordinates are reprojected to WGS 84
  4. Download your .gpx file ready to upload to Garmin Connect, Strava, AllTrails, or a GPS device

FlatGeobuf format

FlatGeobuf is a binary, row-oriented vector format using the FlatBuffers serialization library, with an embedded Hilbert R-tree spatial index for fast range queries. The CRS is encoded in the file header. It supports all OGC geometry types and arbitrary attribute schemas without field name length restrictions. FlatGeobuf is used in cloud-native GIS pipelines, trail data APIs, and high-throughput spatial data serving.

| Property | Value | |---|---| | Extension | .fgb | | Type | Vector, single file (binary) | | Coordinate system | Any CRS (stored in header) | | Geometry types | Point, LineString, Polygon, MultiPoint, MultiLineString, MultiPolygon, GeometryCollection | | Common software | GDAL, QGIS, Mapbox, cloud-native GIS, web APIs |

GPX format

GPX (GPS Exchange Format) is a lightweight XML schema for storing GPS data. It defines three element types: waypoints (single points with optional name, description, and elevation), routes (ordered sequences of waypoints defining a planned path), and tracks (recorded GPS paths with optional elevation and timestamp per point). All coordinates are in WGS 84. GPX is universally supported by consumer GPS devices and outdoor navigation apps.

| Property | Value | |---|---| | Extension | .gpx | | Type | Vector, single file (XML) | | Coordinate system | Always WGS 84 (EPSG:4326) | | Geometry types | Waypoints (points), Routes (point sequences), Tracks (track segments) | | Common software | Garmin, Strava, AllTrails, Komoot, Google Earth, QGIS |

Frequently asked questions

My FlatGeobuf stores trail names and distances as attributes — will those appear in the GPX output?

Yes. The feature name attribute (if a column named name exists) is written to the GPX <name> element for each track or waypoint. Other attributes are written to the GPX <desc> element as a formatted string. GPS devices and apps display the name in their route lists and track logs.

FlatGeobuf can store MultiLineString geometries — how are those handled in GPX?

A MultiLineString is split into individual track segments (<trkseg>) within a single <trk> element in the GPX output. This accurately represents disconnected sections of a route (e.g., a trail with a gap at a road crossing) as separate segments of the same track.

Does FlatGeobuf's elevation data carry through to the GPX output?

If the FlatGeobuf geometry has Z coordinates (3D linestrings or points), geodata.plus writes those Z values as <ele> (elevation) elements in the corresponding GPX track points or waypoints. If there is no Z coordinate, the elevation element is omitted, and GPS devices will display the track without elevation data.

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