Convert GPX to Shapefile Online — Free & Instant
Converting a GPX file to Shapefile lets you bring GPS tracks, waypoints, and routes into ArcGIS, QGIS, MapInfo, or any desktop GIS application that works with the Shapefile format. GPX is the universal GPS exchange format used by Garmin, Trimble, Strava, and most GPS data collection apps — but it is not directly usable in GIS workflows that require Shapefile input. Maparz uses GDAL to read all three GPX geometry types (waypoints, tracks, and routes) and writes them as separate Shapefiles inside a single ZIP archive, since Shapefile supports only one geometry type per file. The output ZIP contains the mandatory .shp, .dbf, .shx, and .prj files for each geometry type present in your GPX. Elevation data and timestamps from the GPX are preserved as attribute fields in the .dbf file.
File converter
When to convert GPX to Shapefile
- Importing Garmin or Trimble GPS survey data into ArcGIS or QGIS as a Shapefile layer
- Analysing hiking, cycling, or running GPS tracks in desktop GIS with spatial analysis tools
- Combining field-collected GPS waypoints with existing Shapefile datasets in a GIS project
- Converting GPX field data for use in Esri enterprise GIS environments
- Loading GPX boundary surveys or route data into AutoCAD Map 3D via Shapefile
How to convert GPX to Shapefile
- 1
Upload your GPX file
Drag and drop your .gpx file onto the upload zone, or click to browse. Files up to 50 MB are supported.
- 2
Select Shapefile output
Click the Shapefile .zip button. GDAL will create separate .shp files for each GPX geometry type (waypoints as points, tracks as lines).
- 3
Convert and download
Click Convert file. The output is a .zip archive containing .shp, .dbf, .shx, and .prj files for each geometry layer.
- 4
Extract and open in GIS
Unzip the archive and add the .shp file(s) to ArcGIS, QGIS, or any Shapefile-compatible application via the Add Layer dialog.
About GPX
GPX (GPS Exchange Format) is an XML-based format for storing GPS data including waypoints, routes, and tracks. It is the de-facto standard for sharing GPS recordings from devices like Garmin, Suunto, and smartphones. GPX is natively supported by Google Earth, Strava, Komoot, Garmin Connect, and virtually every GPS application. A GPX file can contain three types of data: waypoints (individual points of interest), routes (ordered lists of waypoints for navigation), and tracks (continuous GPS recordings with timestamps). GDAL reads and writes GPX natively.
Strengths
- +Universal GPS device compatibility
- +Supported by Strava, Garmin, Google Earth
- +Contains timestamps and elevation data
- +Human-readable XML
About Shapefile
Shapefile (SHP) is the de-facto standard vector format developed by Esri. A shapefile is actually a collection of at least three files: .shp (geometry), .dbf (attributes), and .shx (index). Despite its age, it remains the most widely-supported format across GIS desktop software including ArcGIS and QGIS. Shapefiles support points, lines, and polygons but are limited to 2 GB in size and 10-character field names. When sharing shapefiles, always bundle them into a .zip archive.
Strengths
- +Universal compatibility with all GIS software
- +Stable, well-documented format
- +Supported natively by QGIS, ArcGIS, GRASS
Frequently asked questions
Q.Why does the Shapefile ZIP contain multiple .shp files?
This is a fundamental Shapefile constraint: each .shp file can only store one geometry type (points, lines, or polygons). A GPX file can contain all three geometry types simultaneously — waypoints (points), tracks (lines), and routes (also lines). GDAL splits these into separate Shapefiles: typically a waypoints .shp for point features and a tracks .shp for line features. Open both in QGIS or ArcGIS by adding each .shp as a separate layer.
Q.Is elevation data (z-coordinate) preserved in the Shapefile?
Yes, but as an attribute field rather than a Z coordinate. GPX stores elevation in the <ele> element of each track point or waypoint. GDAL reads this and writes it as a numeric field named 'ele' in the .dbf attribute table. If you need a true 3D Shapefile with Z-coordinates embedded in the geometry, use a local GDAL command: ogr2ogr -f 'ESRI Shapefile' -dim XYZ output.shp input.gpx tracks
Q.Are GPX timestamps preserved in the Shapefile output?
Yes. Timestamps from GPX track points (stored in <time> elements) are written as a date/time field in the .dbf attribute table. This allows you to sort or filter features by time in GIS, or to perform time-based analysis. Note that Shapefile's date field type does not natively store time (only date), so timestamps may be stored as text strings in the attribute table.
Q.What CRS does the output Shapefile use?
All GPX files use WGS 84 (EPSG:4326) — this is a hard requirement of the GPX format specification. The output Shapefile uses the same CRS, which is written into the .prj file as the WGS 84 geographic coordinate reference system. If you need the Shapefile in a projected CRS (e.g. UTM, British National Grid), reproject it in QGIS after conversion using the Reproject Layer tool, or use ogr2ogr -t_srs EPSG:27700 locally.
Q.How do I open the Shapefile in QGIS?
In QGIS, go to Layer → Add Layer → Add Vector Layer, click the '...' button, navigate to the unzipped folder, and select the .shp file. Or simply drag the .shp file from your file manager into the QGIS map canvas. If the ZIP contains multiple .shp files (one for tracks, one for waypoints), add each one separately as a layer.