Mobile phones and Wi-Fi underground (original) (raw)
Tube customers can now benefit from 4G and 5G mobile coverage at a growing number of stations across the network.
Mobile coverage
Uninterrupted 4G and 5G mobile coverage is being rolled out to all underground station ticket halls, platforms and tunnels on the Tube, as well as the DLR, Elizabeth line and recently named Windrush line between Highbury & Islington and New Cross Gate.
At stations with coverage, customers can send and receive calls and texts, surf the Web, or scroll through social media feeds without losing the connection when going from above ground to underground.
How to connect
Your phone should automatically search for and connect to the mobile signal as if you were above ground.
There's no need to install any special software or app - just continue to use your mobile phone and, as it's 4G/5G-compatible, it will connect to the station signal automatically.
Current mobile connections
Customers now have 4G and 5G mobile coverage in stations and tunnels on sections of the Jubilee, Central, Piccadilly, Victoria and Northern lines, as well as the whole Elizabeth line.
Elizabeth line
- All stations and tunnels along the line now have mobile coverage
Bakerloo line
- Mobile coverage is available at Piccadilly Circus station
Northern line
- From Highgate station and Hampstead station to Embankment station on the Charing Cross branch.
- On the southern section of the line, from Clapham North to Balham and Oval station
Piccadilly line
- Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus, Covent Garden, Russell Square station and the tunnel section between Hyde Park Corner and Russell Square
Victoria line
- Tunnel sections between Green Park and Euston have 5G coverage
Jubilee line
- Stations and tunnels from Westminster through Canning Town
Central line
- Stations and tunnels from Shepherd's Bush through to Bank
Charges
There is no charge from TfL - you just use your mobile phone and pay your mobile service operator as normal.
What's next
There's still work to do before all London Underground stations have mobile coverage, including installing the infrastructure, building the connection points and testing systems. All of this will need to be done while continuing to run a busy underground transport system.
We're also working to connect sections of the London Overground (recently named the Windrush line) and DLR that are below ground in the future.
Station Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi is available at:
- All Tube stations
- Most London Overground stations
- All Elizabeth line stations under central London
- Victoria Coach Station
Devices with a sim card will automatically pick up the Wi-Fi signal when you're in a Wi-Fi enabled station. There's no signal in tunnels, but your phone will connect to the signal at the next Wi-Fi enabled platform so you can pick up where you left off.
Using the Wi-Fi service
It's quick and easy to get started - just enable Wi-Fi on your device to connect automatically to the service provided by your mobile network, for example:
- EE WiFi-Auto
- Wifi Extra (for O2)
- Three_WIFI
- VodafoneWiFi
- The Cloud (in London Overground)
Your devices will automatically pick up the Wi-Fi signal when you're in a Wi-Fi enabled station. There's no signal in tunnels, but your phone will connect to the signal at the next Wi-Fi enabled platform so you can pick up where you left off.
Hints and tips
- It typically takes a few seconds to connect to the Wi-Fi service at a Tube station (this delay is due to a security feature). If you're trying to connect at a peak time in a busy station, it may take slightly longer
- If you're not able to connect to the Wi-Fi network before you get on a Tube train, don't try to connect on the train as you travel from station to station. To save battery life, some devices extend the time that they search for Wi-Fi hotspots. It's better to wait and connect when you get off the train
- Contact your mobile network operator with any questions about connecting
Contact your provider
EE, Three, Vodafone and VMO2 users can find out more on their providers' websites:
Content safety in Tube stations
We're certified 'Friendly WiFi', reassuring parents and guardians that our Wi-Fi network will filter out inappropriate content and be safe to use.
This certification has the government-initiated standard, which ensures public Wi-Fi meets minimum filtering standards. Find more information on the Friendly WiFi website.
London Overground
The Sky Cloud Wi-Fi service is available in 81 London Overground stations. The Wi-Fi service has content filtering - privacy policies and information on browsing safely can be found on the Sky Wi-fi web page.
To find out more about the Mayors transport priorities, visit The Mayor's priorities on transport.