High-speed 4G mobile coverage has been rolled out across the Elizabeth line - meaning passengers will now have “seamless connectivity” as they travel underground, says TfL.
It marks a “key milestone” in TfL’s mission to bring mobile coverage to London’s entire transport network.
All of the Elizabeth Line’s eight underground stations, and tunnel sections between Paddington and Liverpool Street, have had mobile coverage since earlier this year, but TfL announced on Wednesday that 4G and 5G coverage has been rolled out across all of the line’s tunnels.
There is also now free in-train wifi available across the entire line, both at stations and between them.
The Elizabeth Line has rapidly become the UK’s single best-used railway - with more than 350million journeys made on the “game changing” £20bn cross-London line in its first two years, it was revealed in May.
TfL says the 4G roll-out will help hundreds of thousands of passengers on the busy line stay connected, enabling them to make calls, send messages and surf the internet as they travel across central London to Whitechapel, Stratford, Canary Wharf, Custom House and Woolwich.
It will also help Londoners “stay safe while using the network”, make it easier for staff to communicate, and help provide emergency services live information as they respond to incidents, says TfL.
All four mobile network operators - Three UK, EE, Vodafone, and Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) - are taking part in the roll-out by TfL and Boldyn Networks.
TfL and Boldyn are working to introduce high-speed 4G and 5G mobile coverage across the whole Tube, DLR, and Elizabeth line network, including on the Overground’s newly named Windrush line between Highbury & Islington and New Cross.
Large sections of central London now have coverage, and work is underway to expand coverage along the Northern line towards Morden, as well as between King’s Cross St Pancras and Moorgate by early 2025.
List of underground TfL stations where mobile coverage is now available
Central Line
Shepherds Bush, Holland Park, Notting Hill Gate (Central Line only), Queensway, Lancaster Gate, Marble Arch, Bond Street (Central and Elizabeth lines only) Oxford Circus (Central Line only), Tottenham Court Road, Holborn, Chancery Lane, St Pauls, Bank (Central Line only)
Northern Line
Hampstead, Belsize Park, Chalk Farm, Highgate, Archway, Tufnell Park, Kentish Town (station closed due to engineering works, but 4G will still be provided to platforms for passing trains), Camden Town, Mornington Crescent, Euston (Charing Cross Branch), Warren Street (Northern Line only), Goodge Street, Tottenham Court Road, Leicester Square, Clapham Common, Clapham South
Elizabeth Line
Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon, Liverpool Street (Elizabeth Line only), Whitechapel, Canary Wharf, Woolwich
Jubilee Line
Westminster, Waterloo (Jubilee Line only) Southwark, London Bridge (Jubilee Line only), Bermondsey, Canada Water, Canary Wharf, North Greenwich
Piccadilly Line
Russell Square, Holborn, Covent Garden, Piccadilly Circus, Hyde Park Corner
Bakerloo Line
Piccadilly Circus
Coverage on the Bakerloo line will soon be extended along the tunnelled sections between Piccadilly Circus and Embankment, with further stations along the line, as well as the Piccadilly and Victoria lines, set to get coverage in the coming months.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: "Bringing mobile coverage to the Underground network is a key commitment of mine, so I’m delighted that the entire Elizabeth line network now has 4G connectivity.
“This is yet another step towards ensuring Londoners and visitors can stay connected on our transport network and means customers can access the latest travel information, keep in touch with colleagues, friends and family throughout their journey on the Elizabeth line.
“Growing numbers of underground Tube stations now have 4G and 5G services, with many more to come as we continue to build a better London for everyone.”
Andy Lord, London’s Transport Commissioner, said: “I’m delighted that the entire Elizabeth line now has mobile coverage, making it even easier for customers to stay connected especially as we approach the festive period.
“This has been a vital project for our customers involving a range of complex engineering skills, all carried out during engineering hours, and we are working hard to bring the benefits of being able to stay in contact while travelling through our city as quickly as possible to the rest of the network.”
