Convert Shapefile to GPX Online — Free GIS Converter

Shapefile is the standard for desktop GIS and government data, but GPS devices, fitness trackers, and trail navigation apps speak GPX — convert your Shapefile .zip bundle to .gpx instantly, with automatic reprojection from any source CRS, using geodata.plus.

Why convert Shapefile to GPX?

Trail managers, park agencies, and outdoor recreation planners often maintain route and track data in Shapefile format because it integrates with their desktop GIS workflows and government data standards. But when those routes need to be loaded onto a Garmin handheld, shared with hikers on AllTrails, or uploaded to a Strava segment, Shapefile is useless — those platforms accept only GPX. Converting Shapefile to GPX is the bridge between professional GIS data management and consumer GPS/fitness ecosystems.

This conversion is also common in emergency management and search-and-rescue contexts, where incident command teams maintain operational areas as Shapefiles and need to push waypoints or route tracks to field teams with GPS receivers.

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 .prj file from your Shapefile and reprojects to WGS 84 (required by GPX) automatically, regardless of your source projection
• Optional reprojection — full EPSG support for datum transformations ensures coordinates are accurate after reprojection
• Browser-based — no GPSBabel, QGIS, or ArcGIS install 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 Shapefile as a .zip archive containing the .shp, .shx, .dbf, and .prj files
2. geodata.plus detects the format, reads the CRS from the .prj file, and prepares reprojection to WGS 84
3. Select GPX as the output format
4. Download your .gpx file, ready to upload to a Garmin device, Strava, AllTrails, or any GPX-compatible app

Shapefile format

Shapefile is Esri's multi-file vector format, widely used for distributing geographic data from government agencies, land management bureaus, and GIS departments. It stores geometry in the .shp file, a positional index in .shx, attributes in .dbf, and the coordinate reference system in .prj. A Shapefile for trails or routes is typically stored in a local projected CRS (e.g., a UTM zone or state plane), meaning the raw coordinates are meters, not degrees, and must be reprojected before use in a GPS device.

| Property | Value | |---|---| | Extension | .shp + .shx + .dbf + .prj (delivered as .zip) | | Type | Vector, multi-file bundle | | Coordinate system | Any CRS (stored in .prj) | | Geometry types | Point, Polyline, Polygon, MultiPoint (one type per file) | | Common software | ArcGIS, QGIS, Tableau, AutoCAD Civil 3D, government portals |

GPX format

GPX (GPS Exchange Format) is an XML schema designed for GPS hardware and software interchange, maintained by Topografix. It defines three element types: <wpt> for individual waypoints with optional name and description metadata, <rte> for planned routes consisting of sequential route points, and <trk> for recorded GPS tracks composed of track segments. GPX always uses WGS 84 coordinates and supports per-point elevation and timestamp data. The format has no support for polygon geometry or rich attribute tables.

| Property | Value | |---|---| | Extension | .gpx | | Type | Vector, single file XML | | Coordinate system | Always WGS 84 (EPSG:4326) | | Geometry types | Waypoints, Routes, Tracks (no polygon support) | | Common software | Garmin, Strava, AllTrails, Komoot, Google Earth, BaseCamp |

Frequently asked questions

How are Shapefile Polygon features handled when converting to GPX?

GPX does not support polygon geometry. geodata.plus converts polygon exterior rings to closed GPX track segments (<trk><trkseg>), which represent the polygon boundary as a GPS track. Interior rings (holes in the polygon) are discarded because GPX has no equivalent concept. A warning will appear in the conversion summary for any polygons that were converted this way. If you specifically need polygons on a GPS device, KML or a device-native format may be a better option.

Will my Shapefile's DBF attribute columns appear in the GPX output?

GPX supports a limited set of named metadata fields per element: <name>, <desc>, <cmt>, <sym>, and <type>. geodata.plus maps the Shapefile's name or NAME column (case-insensitive) to the GPX <name> element. All remaining DBF columns are serialized as a readable key-value list in the <desc> element. This means the data is preserved as human-readable text, though not as structured queryable fields.

My Shapefile uses a state plane CRS in feet — will the GPX coordinates still be accurate?

Yes. geodata.plus performs a full coordinate transformation using the CRS definition from your .prj file, including handling US Survey Foot units correctly. The output GPX coordinates will be decimal degrees in WGS 84, accurately reprojected from your state plane source. If your .prj file is missing or incorrect, you can enter the EPSG code manually during the conversion to ensure the transformation is performed correctly.