diff --git a/lib/arrow/gtfs.ex b/lib/arrow/gtfs.ex
index a967455e5..c17da8bf7 100644
--- a/lib/arrow/gtfs.ex
+++ b/lib/arrow/gtfs.ex
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 defmodule Arrow.Gtfs do
   @moduledoc """
-  GTFS import logic.
+  GTFS import and validation logic.
   """
   alias Arrow.Gtfs.Importable
   alias Arrow.Gtfs.JobHelper
@@ -13,104 +13,123 @@ defmodule Arrow.Gtfs do
   @import_timeout_ms :timer.minutes(10)
 
   @doc """
-  Loads a GTFS archive into Arrow's gtfs_* DB tables,
-  replacing the previous archive's data.
+  Loads a GTFS archive into Arrow's gtfs_* DB tables, replacing the previous
+  archive's data.
 
-  `job` is the Oban job running this import, or `nil` if the import is being
-  run directly, e.g. by `mix import_gtfs`.
-
-  Options:
-  - `:validate_only?` - Set true to have the transaction roll back
-    instead of committing, even if all queries succeed.
-
-  Returns:
-
-  - `:ok` on successful import or validation, or skipped import due to unchanged version.
-  - `{:error, reason}` if the import or validation failed.
+  `job` is the Oban job running this import, or `nil` if the import is being run
+  directly, e.g. by `mix import_gtfs`.
   """
-  @spec import(Unzip.t(), String.t(), Oban.Job.t() | nil, Keyword.t()) ::
-          :ok | {:error, term}
-  def import(unzip, new_version, job \\ nil, opts \\ []) do
-    validate_only? = Keyword.get(opts, :validate_only?, false)
+  @spec import(Unzip.t(), String.t(), Oban.Job.t() | nil) :: :ok | {:error, term}
+  def import(unzip, new_version, job \\ nil) do
     job_info = job && JobHelper.logging_params(job)
 
-    Logger.info("GTFS import or validation job starting #{job_info}")
+    Logger.info("GTFS import job starting #{job_info}")
 
     current_version =
-      if validate_only? do
-        "doesn't matter for validation"
-      else
-        Arrow.Repo.one(
-          from info in Arrow.Gtfs.FeedInfo, where: info.id == "mbta-ma-us", select: info.version
-        )
-      end
+      Arrow.Repo.one(
+        from info in Arrow.Gtfs.FeedInfo, where: info.id == "mbta-ma-us", select: info.version
+      )
 
     with :ok <- validate_required_files(unzip),
-         :ok <- validate_version_change(new_version, current_version) do
-      case import_transaction(unzip, validate_only?) do
-        {:ok, _} ->
-          Logger.info("GTFS import success #{job_info}")
-          :ok
-
-        {:error, :validation_success} ->
-          Logger.info("GTFS validation success #{job_info}")
-          :ok
-
-        {:error, reason} = error ->
-          Logger.warning("GTFS import or validation failed reason=#{inspect(reason)} #{job_info}")
-
-          error
-      end
+         :ok <- validate_version_change(new_version, current_version),
+         {:ok, _} <- import_transaction(unzip) do
+      Logger.info("GTFS import success #{job_info}")
+      :ok
     else
       :unchanged ->
         Logger.info("GTFS import skipped due to unchanged version #{job_info}")
-
         :ok
 
       {:error, reason} = error ->
-        Logger.warning("GTFS import or validation failed reason=#{inspect(reason)} #{job_info}")
+        Logger.warning("GTFS import failed reason=#{inspect(reason)} #{job_info}")
+        error
+    end
+  end
+
+  defp import_transaction(unzip) do
+    schemas = gtfs_schemas()
+
+    transaction = fn ->
+      external_fkeys = get_external_fkeys()
+      drop_external_fkeys(external_fkeys)
+
+      truncate(schemas)
+      import_feed(unzip, schemas)
+
+      add_external_fkeys(external_fkeys)
+    end
+
+    {elapsed_ms, result} =
+      fn -> Repo.transaction(transaction, timeout: @import_timeout_ms) end
+      |> :timer.tc(:millisecond)
 
+    Logger.info("GTFS archive import transaction completed elapsed_ms=#{elapsed_ms}")
+
+    result
+  end
+
+  @doc """
+  Validates a GTFS feed for relational consistency with Arrow's disruption data.
+
+  `job` is the Oban job running this validation.
+  """
+  @spec validate(Unzip.t(), Oban.Job.t()) :: :ok | {:error, term}
+  def validate(unzip, job) do
+    job_info = JobHelper.logging_params(job)
+
+    Logger.info("GTFS validation job starting #{job_info}")
+
+    with :ok <- validate_required_files(unzip),
+         # (Repo.rollback/1 wraps returned value in an error tuple.)
+         {:error, :validation_success} <- validate_transaction(unzip) do
+      Logger.info("GTFS validation success #{job_info}")
+      :ok
+    else
+      {:error, reason} = error ->
+        Logger.info("GTFS validation failed reason=#{inspect(reason)} #{job_info}")
         error
     end
   end
 
-  defp import_transaction(unzip, validate_only?) do
+  defp validate_transaction(unzip) do
+    schemas = validated_schemas()
+
     transaction = fn ->
       external_fkeys = get_external_fkeys()
       drop_external_fkeys(external_fkeys)
+      drop_internal_fkeys()
 
-      truncate_all()
-      import_all(unzip)
+      truncate(schemas)
+      import_feed(unzip, schemas)
 
+      # Re-add external FKs only, not internal FKs, since we're not concerned
+      # with validating the internal consistency of the feed.
       add_external_fkeys(external_fkeys)
 
-      if validate_only? do
-        # Set any deferred constraints to run now, instead of on transaction commit,
-        # since we don't actually commit the transaction in this case.
-        _ = Repo.query!("SET CONSTRAINTS ALL IMMEDIATE")
-        Repo.rollback(:validation_success)
-      end
+      # Set any deferred constraints to run now, instead of on transaction commit,
+      # since we don't actually commit the transaction for validations.
+      _ = Repo.query!("SET CONSTRAINTS ALL IMMEDIATE")
+      Repo.rollback(:validation_success)
     end
 
     {elapsed_ms, result} =
       fn -> Repo.transaction(transaction, timeout: @import_timeout_ms) end
       |> :timer.tc(:millisecond)
 
-    action = if validate_only?, do: "validation", else: "import"
-    Logger.info("GTFS archive #{action} transaction completed elapsed_ms=#{elapsed_ms}")
+    Logger.info("GTFS archive validation transaction completed elapsed_ms=#{elapsed_ms}")
 
     result
   end
 
-  @spec truncate_all() :: :ok
-  defp truncate_all do
-    tables = Enum.map_join(importable_schemas(), ", ", & &1.__schema__(:source))
+  @spec truncate(list(module)) :: :ok
+  defp truncate(schemas) do
+    tables = Enum.map_join(schemas, ", ", & &1.__schema__(:source))
     _ = Repo.query!("TRUNCATE #{tables}")
     :ok
   end
 
-  defp import_all(unzip) do
-    Enum.each(importable_schemas(), &Importable.import(&1, unzip))
+  defp import_feed(unzip, schemas_to_import) do
+    Enum.each(schemas_to_import, &Importable.import(&1, unzip))
   end
 
   defp validate_required_files(unzip) do
@@ -138,7 +157,8 @@ defmodule Arrow.Gtfs do
   defp validate_version_change(version, version), do: :unchanged
   defp validate_version_change(_new_version, _current_version), do: :ok
 
-  defp importable_schemas do
+  defp gtfs_schemas do
+    # All the Ecto schemas that represent GTFS feed tables.
     # Listed in the order in which they should be imported.
     [
       Arrow.Gtfs.FeedInfo,
@@ -160,23 +180,41 @@ defmodule Arrow.Gtfs do
     ]
   end
 
+  # For validation, only the feed tables that are referenced by FKs from
+  # Arrow disruption data tables are imported.
+  defp validated_schemas do
+    gtfs_tables_referenced_by_external_fkeys =
+      get_external_fkeys()
+      |> MapSet.new(& &1.referenced_table)
+
+    gtfs_schemas()
+    |> Enum.filter(fn schema ->
+      schema.__schema__(:source) in gtfs_tables_referenced_by_external_fkeys
+    end)
+  end
+
   defp required_files do
-    importable_schemas()
+    gtfs_schemas()
     |> Enum.flat_map(& &1.filenames())
     |> MapSet.new()
   end
 
   defp get_external_fkeys do
-    importable_schemas()
+    gtfs_schemas()
     |> Enum.map(& &1.__schema__(:source))
     |> ForeignKeyConstraint.external_constraints_referencing_tables()
   end
 
+  defp get_internal_fkeys do
+    gtfs_schemas()
+    |> Enum.map(& &1.__schema__(:source))
+    |> ForeignKeyConstraint.internal_constraints()
+  end
+
   @spec drop_external_fkeys(list(ForeignKeyConstraint.t())) :: :ok
   defp drop_external_fkeys(external_fkeys) do
-    # To allow all GTFS tables to be truncated, we first need to
-    # temporarily drop all foreign key constraints referencing them
-    # from non-GTFS tables.
+    # To allow GTFS tables to be truncated, we first need to temporarily drop
+    # all foreign key constraints referencing them from non-GTFS tables.
     fkey_names = Enum.map_join(external_fkeys, ",", & &1.name)
 
     Logger.info(
@@ -190,6 +228,15 @@ defmodule Arrow.Gtfs do
     :ok
   end
 
+  @spec drop_internal_fkeys() :: :ok
+  defp drop_internal_fkeys do
+    internal_fkeys = get_internal_fkeys()
+    fkey_names = Enum.map_join(internal_fkeys, ",", & &1.name)
+    Logger.info("temporarily dropping intra-feed internal foreign keys fkey_names=#{fkey_names}")
+
+    Enum.each(internal_fkeys, &ForeignKeyConstraint.drop/1)
+  end
+
   @spec add_external_fkeys(list(ForeignKeyConstraint.t())) :: :ok
   defp add_external_fkeys(external_fkeys) do
     fkey_names = Enum.map_join(external_fkeys, ",", & &1.name)
diff --git a/lib/arrow/gtfs/import_worker.ex b/lib/arrow/gtfs/import_worker.ex
index cac604089..5d3564c4f 100644
--- a/lib/arrow/gtfs/import_worker.ex
+++ b/lib/arrow/gtfs/import_worker.ex
@@ -26,10 +26,6 @@ defmodule Arrow.Gtfs.ImportWorker do
     end
   end
 
-  # A sane timeout to avoid buildup of stuck jobs. This is especially important
-  # for cases where our RDS instance runs out of credits--it stops the job from
-  # eating up additional credits as they recharge and keeping the server
-  # unresponsive for even longer.
   # Import jobs generally take around 5 minutes.
   @impl Oban.Worker
   def timeout(_job), do: :timer.minutes(10)
diff --git a/lib/arrow/gtfs/validation_worker.ex b/lib/arrow/gtfs/validation_worker.ex
index 73d5a9144..6a549ddad 100644
--- a/lib/arrow/gtfs/validation_worker.ex
+++ b/lib/arrow/gtfs/validation_worker.ex
@@ -20,19 +20,15 @@ defmodule Arrow.Gtfs.ValidationWorker do
     ]
 
   @impl Oban.Worker
-  def perform(%Oban.Job{args: %{"s3_uri" => s3_uri, "archive_version" => new_version}} = job) do
+  def perform(%Oban.Job{args: %{"s3_uri" => s3_uri}} = job) do
     with {:ok, unzip} <- Arrow.Gtfs.Archive.to_unzip_struct(s3_uri) do
-      Arrow.Gtfs.import(unzip, new_version, job, validate_only?: true)
+      Arrow.Gtfs.validate(unzip, job)
     end
   end
 
-  # A sane timeout to avoid buildup of stuck jobs. This is especially important
-  # for cases where our RDS instance runs out of credits--it stops the job from
-  # eating up additional credits as they recharge and keeping the server
-  # unresponsive for even longer.
-  # Validation jobs generally take around 2-3 minutes.
+  # Validation jobs generally take less than a minute.
   @impl Oban.Worker
-  def timeout(_job), do: :timer.minutes(10)
+  def timeout(_job), do: :timer.minutes(5)
 
   @spec check_jobs(Arrow.Gtfs.JobHelper.status_filter()) :: list(map)
   def check_jobs(status_filter) do
diff --git a/lib/arrow/repo/foreign_key_constraint.ex b/lib/arrow/repo/foreign_key_constraint.ex
index 03bd7355e..baefcd228 100644
--- a/lib/arrow/repo/foreign_key_constraint.ex
+++ b/lib/arrow/repo/foreign_key_constraint.ex
@@ -45,6 +45,34 @@ defmodule Arrow.Repo.ForeignKeyConstraint do
     |> Repo.all()
   end
 
+  @doc """
+  Returns foreign key constraints that both originate in, and reference, tables in `tables`.
+
+  For example, given the following foreign key relations:
+
+      foo.bar_id -> bar.id
+      foo.baz_id -> baz.id
+      baz.bar_id -> bar.id
+
+  Calling this:
+
+      internal_constraints(["bar", "baz"])
+
+  Would produce this:
+
+      [
+        %ForeignKeyConstraint{origin_table: "baz", referenced_table: "bar"}
+      ]
+  """
+  @spec internal_constraints(list(String.t() | atom)) :: list(t())
+  def internal_constraints(tables) when is_list(tables) do
+    from(fk in __MODULE__,
+      where: fk.referenced_table in ^tables,
+      where: fk.origin_table in ^tables
+    )
+    |> Repo.all()
+  end
+
   @doc """
   Drops a foreign key constraint.
 
diff --git a/test/arrow/repo/foreign_key_constraint_test.exs b/test/arrow/repo/foreign_key_constraint_test.exs
index a4efa5b34..8c0c8e2f8 100644
--- a/test/arrow/repo/foreign_key_constraint_test.exs
+++ b/test/arrow/repo/foreign_key_constraint_test.exs
@@ -92,6 +92,27 @@ defmodule Arrow.Repo.ForeignKeyConstraintTest do
     end
   end
 
+  describe "internal_constraints/1" do
+    test "returns fkeys both originating in and referencing the given tables" do
+      assert fkeys = ForeignKeyConstraint.internal_constraints(["a", "c"])
+      assert length(fkeys) == 2
+      [fkey1, fkey2] = Enum.sort_by(fkeys, & &1.name)
+
+      assert %ForeignKeyConstraint{name: "a_c_id_fkey", origin_table: "a", referenced_table: "c"} =
+               fkey1
+
+      assert %ForeignKeyConstraint{name: "c_a_id_fkey", origin_table: "c", referenced_table: "a"} =
+               fkey2
+
+      assert [fkey] = ForeignKeyConstraint.internal_constraints(["b", "c"])
+
+      assert %ForeignKeyConstraint{name: "b_c_id_fkey", origin_table: "b", referenced_table: "c"} =
+               fkey
+
+      assert [] = ForeignKeyConstraint.internal_constraints(["a"])
+    end
+  end
+
   describe "drop/1" do
     test "drops the given fkey" do
       assert [c_a_fkey] = ForeignKeyConstraint.external_constraints_referencing_tables(["a"])