01: Setup

Install SUMO, Python, and uv

Published

August 22, 2026

SUMO (Simulation of Urban MObility) is a microscopic and continuous multi-modal traffic simulation package designed to handle large networks.

Docs

1 Install SUMO

SUMO is available to download on the official website. However, for the Traffic Analysis Zone (TAZ) part covered later in the workshop, we need to install SUMO with some extras. You may install SUMO with extras here.

Accept all the default options during installation. Then check that SUMO is installed by searching sumo-gui in Windows search. You may also run the command sumo-gui in your terminal to launch an empty SUMO window.

2 Create `SUMO_HOME` system variable

The SUMO_HOME system variable is created for you during the installation. Follow the steps below to confirm that is the case or crate the variable yourself.

On Windows:

Search for ‘Edit the system environment variables’
Click Environment Variables
Create a new variable named SUMO_HOME in the ‘System variables’ section
Enter the path to SUMO binary (i.e., the path where SUMO is installed) in the ‘Variable value’ text box. For example: C:\Program Files (x86)\Eclipse\Sumo\
Click OK in all the windows

3 Install `uv`

uv is “an extremely fast Python package and project manager”.

uv will help us installing Python and setting up a virtual environment with traci and other Python packages.

Go to Installation page
Run the command for your operating system, e.g., in Windows, copy and paste the given command in PowerShell (Open PowerShell by searching it in Windows).
Close PowerShell when done

4 Install Python

Python is needed for using TraCI (Traffic Control Interface). TraCI allows to retrieve values of simulated objects and to manipulate their behavior in a running simulation.

Download and install Python manually

Or see below to install Python via uv with the Positron IDE

5 Install Positron IDE

Positron IDE is needed to:

View or create simulation files
Running TraCI with a specific virtual environment in Python

Download and install Positron IDE

Accept all the defaults in the installation setup. Once installed, Positron would open by itself or you can open it by searching for Positron.

6 Download and sync workshop folder

Download the zipped folder sumo_workshop from GitHub and extract it. You can download it by clicking the dropdown menu of the green code button and clicking Download ZIP. Make sure to extract it by right clicking the zipped folder and click Extract All.
Open Positron, and inside, click Open > Open Folder and select the extracted folder
You may see a dialog box in Positron asking if you trust the authors. Select “Yes I trust the authors”. Dismiss any notifications.
Run uv sync in terminal. If you don’t see the terminal, click Ctrl + Shift + backtick OR click Terminal > New Terminal. If the command uv sync does not work, restart Positron and try again.
Once Python and packages are installed after running uv sync, you will see .venv created in Positron’s files explorer. See if Python is working by clicking Start Session at the top-right of Positron and selecting Python 3.14.x (uv: sumo-workshop). That would start Python in a console window (you may have to click allow in a different window first). Run the following Python command:

1 + 1

If the code above runs, you’re all set!

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