4g

4G Wireless Service Now Available in All CTA Subways

This project is complete.

Subway riders: You can now stay connected throughout your entire commute!

We now offer 4G wireless services across all 22 miles of our subway stations and tunnels, which are on the Red and Blue lines. Check your email, read an e-book, update your status and surf the web without disruption, thanks to fast and reliable 4G service. Chicago is the largest city in North America to have full 4G wireless coverage across its entire system of subway stations and tunnels.

Project background

In December 2015, we completed the full installation of 4G communications equipment.

The $32.5 million 4G wireless design and installation was provided at no cost to CTA and its customers. The project was fully financed by the four major wireless providers—T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon and Sprint. The project, brokered by the Chicago Infrastructure Trust, is one of several efforts by the City and CTA President Carter to modernize the City’s infrastructure and further improve Chicago’s world-class transit system.

The 4G service includes all 13 miles of the Blue Line subway and stations and all 9 miles of the Red Line subway and stations.

Over the past five years, several technology improvements implemented across Chicago’s transit system included expansion of CTA Train Tracker and Bus Tracker functionality, digital displays with service information at bus shelters and rail stations throughout the service region, and a dramatically expanded security camera network.