RouteConverter
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ECDIS route conversion: RTZ to GPX and back

ECDIS systems and voyage planning software that support IEC 61174 exchange passage plans as RTZ Route Exchange files (.rtz). RouteConverter opens them, shows the waypoints on a map, lets you edit them and saves the route in another format — or writes an RTZ file from a route you have in some other format. It runs on your own computer (Windows, macOS, Linux), converts locally and needs no upload or internet connection for the conversion.

What RouteConverter does with RTZ

  • Open RTZ. Versions 1.0 and 1.1 are read. From each waypoint RouteConverter takes the name and the position, plus the ETA from the first schedule when there is one. Anything else in the file, such as turn radii, leg speeds or cross-track limits, is not carried into RouteConverter.
  • View and edit. The waypoints appear in the position list and on the map. Rename, move, insert or delete them.
  • Convert RTZ to other formats. Save as GPX, KML, CSV, NMEA and many more. For the most searched case see RTZ to GPX; background on the format is on the RTZ format page. For a plain-text position log, NMEA is one of the targets.
  • Write RTZ. Any route RouteConverter can read can be saved as RTZ. It writes version 1.0 with one route, named waypoints in decimal degrees, loxodrome legs and, where your waypoints carry times, a schedule of ETAs. See the next section for what is free.

Writing RTZ is a sponsor feature

Reading RTZ is free and unlimited. Writing RTZ is free for the first ten saves; after that, RouteConverter asks for a donation and unlocks the rtz-ecdis sponsor feature for your account. The same applies to a few other special-purpose write formats. In the dialog you log in, donate via PayPal and send the prepared unlock request by mail to support@routeconverter.com. Everything else in RouteConverter stays free.

How to convert a route

  1. Download RouteConverter and start it.
  2. Open the route with File → Open, for example your .rtz export from the ECDIS.
  3. Check the waypoints in the list and on the map and edit them if needed.
  4. Pick the target format in the Save as dropdown — GPX to read it in a chartplotter or app, RTZ to go the other way.
  5. Save with File → Save as. To bring a route into an ECDIS, load the saved file there and check every waypoint on its chart before you use it.

FAQ

Can RouteConverter convert RTZ to GPX for free?

Yes. Opening an RTZ file and saving it as GPX, KML, CSV or any other format is free and has no limit. Only writing RTZ is limited, to ten free saves.

Which RTZ data survives the conversion?

Waypoint names, positions and ETAs. Other RTZ content, such as turn radii, leg speeds or cross-track limits, is dropped when the file is read, so a route you open, edit and write back as RTZ carries the default values RouteConverter writes, not the originals. Compressed .rtzp packages are not supported.

Can I convert GPX to RTZ for my ECDIS?

Yes. Open the GPX file, pick RTZ Route Exchange in the Save as dropdown and save. This is the write direction described above. Before you rely on the result, load it into the ECDIS and verify it against the chart.

Can I use RouteConverter for navigation?

No. RouteConverter is a file converter and route editor, not a type-approved ECDIS. Use it to prepare and exchange route data and verify the result in your approved navigation system.