Free online SHP.ZIP to GPX converter

Source format overview

SHP is the main geometry file used by the ESRI Shapefile format, a long-standing GIS standard for storing vector map data such as points, lines, and polygons. In practice, a shapefile dataset usually includes several companion files alongside .shp, especially .shx and .dbf, and often .prj for coordinate system information. When people say shp.zip, they usually mean a ZIP archive containing a shapefile dataset. GIS professionals, surveyors, planners, and mapping applications use shapefiles for spatial analysis, cartography, and data exchange.

Target format overview

GPX is the GPS Exchange Format, an XML-based format designed for sharing GPS data such as waypoints, routes, and tracks. It is widely supported by GPS devices, fitness and outdoor apps, navigation software, and mapping tools. GPX is especially useful when you need to move path or location data between GIS software and consumer GPS applications. Its main advantages are broad compatibility, human-readable structure, and a simple schema focused on navigation data.

How to perform the conversion

The best method depends on whether your ZIP archive contains a single shapefile layer and whether you need points, lines, or tracks in GPX. For most GIS users, QGIS is the most practical desktop tool.

1. Unzip shp.zip if needed, or open the archive directly in GIS software if supported.
2. Open QGIS and load the shapefile layer using Layer → Add Layer → Add Vector Layer.
3. Check that the layer has the correct coordinate reference system. GPX is typically used with geographic coordinates, so the data should be in latitude/longitude or reprojected before export.
4. Right-click the layer and choose Export → Save Features As....
5. Set Format to GPX.
6. Choose the appropriate GPX layer type if prompted: waypoints for points, routes or tracks for line data.
7. Pick an output filename such as output.gpx and save the file.

If you prefer command-line conversion and have GDAL installed, you can use ogr2ogr. First extract the ZIP archive, then run a command similar to ogr2ogr -f GPX output.gpx input.shp. If the source data is not already in WGS 84, you may need to reproject it during conversion, for example with an appropriate -t_srs setting.

You can also convert the file on 101convert.com for free, without installing any software.

Notes on quality and limitations

Shapefile to GPX is not a one-to-one format match. Shapefiles can store rich GIS attributes and multiple geometry types, while GPX is limited to navigation-oriented data. As a result, only the geometry and a small subset of attributes may be preserved. Attribute tables are often reduced to GPX fields such as name, description, and time.

Coordinate system matters. GPX expects geographic coordinates, so projected shapefiles may need reprojection before export. If the source .prj file is missing or incorrect, the conversion may place features in the wrong location.

Geometry type matters too. Point shapefiles convert most naturally to GPX waypoints. Line shapefiles may become routes or tracks, depending on the software. Polygon shapefiles generally do not convert cleanly to GPX because GPX is not designed for area features.

ZIP archives must contain the full shapefile set. If .shp, .shx, and .dbf are incomplete or mismatched, the conversion may fail or produce partial results.