Updated January 2025
Service overview
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) operates the nation’s second largest public transportation system. On an average weekday, 953,787 rides are taken on CTA. The CTA is a regional transit system that serves 35 suburbs, in addition to the City of Chicago, and provides 87 percent of the public transit trips in the six-county Chicago metropolitan area either with direct service or connecting service to Metra and Pace.
CTA has 1,966 buses that operate 127 routes and 1,516 route miles. Buses make about 18,503 trips a day and serve – 10,588 bus stops.
On the rapid transit system, CTA’s 1,564 rail cars operate eight routes and 224.1 miles of track. CTA trains make about 2,336 trips each day and serve 146 stations.
Chicago is one of the few cities in the world that has rail service to two major airports. CTA’s Blue Line ‘L’ can take customers to O’Hare International Airport. Orange Line trains, which operate clockwise on the Loop ‘L’ structure, travel to Midway Airport.
CTA also provides around-the-clock service on certain routes. During late night and early morning hours, major rail lines and some of CTA’s bus routes offer “Night Owl” service, much of it with connecting schedules and routing.
Organization
Chicago Transit Authority is an independent governmental agency created by state legislation. CTA began operating on Oct. 1, 1947, after it acquired the properties of the Chicago Rapid Transit Company and the Chicago Surface Lines. On Oct. 1, 1952, CTA became the predominant operator of Chicago transit when it purchased the Chicago Motor Coach system.
Governance & oversight
The governing arm of CTA is the Chicago Transit Board. Lester L. Barclay serves as chairman. The board consists of seven members, four appointed by the Mayor of Chicago and three by the Governor of Illinois.
The Mayor’s appointees are subject to the approval of the Governor and the Chicago City Council; the Governor’s appointees are subject to the approval of the Mayor and the Illinois State Senate. CTA’s day-to-day operations are directed by Nora Leerhsen, acting president.
CTA generates revenue from both farebox collections and non-farebox revenues, and also receives supplemental funding for operating expenses through the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA).
The RTA was established in 1974 to oversee local transportation operators in the six-county Chicago metropolitan area. Illinois state law requires the three RTA service. boards—CTA, Metra (the suburban rail system) and Pace (the suburban bus system)—to recover collectively at least 50 percent of operating costs from farebox and other system revenues.
Statistics & information
Service area
| Area served by CTA |
Chicago and 35 suburbs |
| Service population |
3.4 million
(based on 2020 Census) |
| 2025 Operating budget |
$2.157 billion |
| 2025 Capital budget |
$1.2 billion |
Ridership
| Average Weekday (2024) |
|
| Bus |
564,468 |
| Rail |
389,320 |
| Total system |
953,787 |
| Annual (2024) |
|
| Bus |
181.6 million |
| Rail |
127.5 million |
| Total system |
309.2 million |
Route statistics
| Bus route miles |
1,516 |
| Bus miles traveled per day |
148,177 |
| Rail track miles |
224.1 |
| Rail miles traveled per day |
254,544 |
| Miles of elevated structure |
35.8 |
| Miles of 'L' at grade level |
35.0 |
| Miles of 'L' embankment, etc. |
20.6 |
| Miles of subway |
11.4 |
| Clearance range of 'L' structure in the Loop |
13'3"-19'4" |
Number of... (2023)
| Buses |
1,966 |
| Bus routes |
127 |
| Bus stops |
10,588 |
| Rail cars |
1,564 |
| Rail lines |
8 |
| Rail stations |
146 |
| Employee positions |
10,429 |
Important transit dates in Chicago
| Horse car service began |
Apr. 25, 1859 |
| Cable car service began |
Jan. 28, 1882 |
| First electric streetcars |
Oct. 2, 1890 |
| First rail line |
June 6, 1892 |
| Loop Elevated opened |
Oct. 12, 1897 |
| First motor bus service |
Mar. 25, 1917 |
| Trolley bus service began |
Apr. 17, 1930 |
| State Street Subway opened |
Oct. 17, 1943 |
| CTA became operating entity |
Oct. 1, 1947 |
| Dearborn Subway opened |
Feb. 25, 1951 |
| Last streetcar ran |
June 21, 1958 |
| Skokie Swift service began |
Apr. 20, 1964 |
| Expressway median operation: |
|
| - Congress (Eisenhower) |
June 22, 1958 |
| - Dan Ryan |
Sept. 28, 1969 |
| - Kennedy |
Feb. 1, 1970 |
| Rail service to O'Hare |
Sept. 3, 1984 |
| Rail service to Midway |
Oct. 31, 1993 |
| Rail line names switched to colors |
Feb. 21, 1993 |
| Fare Cards introduced |
August 18, 1997 |
| Pink Line service began |
June 25, 2006 |
| Ventra fare system completed |
July 1, 2014 |