CTA ridership breaks post-pandemic record in 2023

CHICAGO - The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) continues to see ridership growth with an increase in riders in 2023. 

Last year, the CTA provided 279 million train and bus rides. In total, ridership was up 14 percent compared to 2022. 

The CTA provided nearly 36 million more rides compared to 2022. In 2023, bus ridership increased 15.5 percent over 2022. Rail ridership increased 13.4 percent.  

Ridership exceeded 1 million rides per day for 27 days in 2023, according to the CTA.

"Last year we experienced significant post-pandemic improvement and saw very good trends that we hope will continue, year-over-year, in 2024.," said CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. "As we look towards meeting the ridership demands of this year – particularly on rail – we have set an aggressive goal of training 200 rail operators in 2024." 

CTA ridership dropped to around 20 percent in April 2020, and has gradually risen to just over 60 percent of pre-pandemic ridership.