Gone are the days when you couldn’t get a signal on the Tube. Now, you can easily get online at every station and even in some tunnels across the London Underground.
Some of the capital’s busiest stops have received 4G and 5G upgrades, including Oxford Circus, Euston and Canary Wharf, with Transport for London (TfL) set to connect more parts of the Northern line in the coming months.
Although the big four major mobile networks are already available, some of the smaller providers have been missing. Now, a newcomer is joining the fray: Sky Mobile has announced that its customers can get connected while travelling in parts of the Jubilee, Northern and Central lines.
Want to use WhatsApp or Google Maps while on the Tube? Find out the places you can currently get wi-fi, 4G and 5G and how you can get online.
Is the Tube fully connected to online networks?
TfL has been adding Underground connectivity since 2012 when wi-fi was switched on before the London Olympics.
The work forms part of TfL’s plans to bring high-speed mobile coverage to 80 per cent of the Tube network, including the Elizabeth line, by the end of 2024.
Does the London Underground have wi-fi?
Wi-fi coverage has been expanded to all Tube stations; almost all London Overground stations, barring Emerson Park and Haggerston; Elizabeth line stations in London, including Farringdon, Tottenham Court Road, Woolwich, Canary Wharf, Paddington, Whitechapel, Custom House, Bond Street and Liverpool Street; and Victoria coach station.
By the end of the year, 33 Tube stations will have 4G coverage, increasing to above 40 by spring. The work is being done by Boldyn Networks at no cost to TfL.
Which Tube lines have 5G?
More recently, 4G and 5G coverage has gradually been activated in tunnels since 2020 on parts of the Jubilee, Central and Northern lines.
Jubilee line
On the Jubilee line, travellers can connect to 4G on their mobiles in eight stations and connecting tunnels, from Westminster to Canning Town.
In the coming months, Canary Wharf and North Greenwich will be the first stations to be upgraded to 5G.
Central line
You can also access 4G and 5G mobile coverage on the Central Line between Holland Park and Queensway.
On September 8, coverage was introduced in most parts of the stations at Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road, but not inside tunnels.
In addition, Goodge Street, Chancery Lane and Bank stations will come online in the coming months, which should benefit travellers on both the Central and Northern lines.
Northern line
The Northern line received mobile data connectivity in Camden Town in June. Before that, it had been activated at Archway and Kentish Town, in ticket halls and platforms, as well as in tunnels between stations.
The Charing Cross branch of the Northern line at Euston station now has 4G and 5G coverage while in the next few weeks the tunnels between Camden Town, Mornington Crescent and Euston will be connected.
The first sections on the southern end of the Northern line are expected to go live by next summer.
Which Tube lines will get 5G next?
Elizabeth line
By the end of the year, TFL plans to introduce 5G coverage at Elizabeth line stations including Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon and Liverpool Street.
Under current plans, commuters should be able to use 4G inside tunnels and at all stations by the end of spring 2024.
Bakerloo, Victoria, and Piccadilly lines
TFL says 4G and 5G will arrive on the Bakerloo, Victoria, and Piccadilly lines later this year, following an initial period of testing.
Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and London Overground
Those who use the DLR and London Overground will have to wait a bit longer for mobile network coverage. TFL is aiming to bring 5G to the DLR within the next two years. It is also scheduled to arrive on the London Overground between Highbury & Islington and New Cross during the same period.
How to connect to wi-fi, 4G and 5G on the Tube
You can use wi-fi or mobile data on the Tube at no extra cost by connecting to your provider’s service.
The current wi-fi network providers on the Tube include EE, Vodafone, Three, O2 (Wifi Extra) and The Cloud (on London Overground). While 4G and 5G are available from Three, EE, Vodafone, Virgin Media O2 and Sky Mobile.
Getting online is simple: In most cases, your phone should automatically connect to wireless internet at stations, and switch to 4G or 5G in tunnels between stops – the same way it does when you are out and about.
If for some reason you can’t get online, you can manually choose a provider within your phone settings under wi-fi or mobile networks, or under similar settings.
