The most popular and busiest CTA stops and Chicago L train lines in 2026 based on real rider data from 23,000+ tracked rides across the L and bus network.
If you ride the CTA, you probably have a guess about which stops and lines are the busiest. But we have the actual CTA ridership statistics to back it up.
Transit Stats tracked over 23,000 rides across Chicago’s CTA network and broke down exactly which train lines, bus routes, and stops riders use the most. Here’s what we found.
The Busiest CTA Train Lines in 2026
Chicago’s L train system has eight lines, but CTA train ridership is far from even. The Red Line dominates with 5,136 tracked rides, nearly double the second place Brown Line at 2,715 rides.
- Red Line: 5,136 rides
- Brown Line: 2,715 rides
- Blue Line: 1,829 rides
- Purple Line: 1,129 rides
- Green Line: 1,006 rides
The Red Line’s lead makes sense. It runs north-south through some of the city’s densest neighborhoods, connecting Edgewater and Rogers Park to the Loop and beyond. The Brown Line’s strong showing reflects its popularity with North Side commuters traveling through Lincoln Park, Lakeview, and Lincoln Square.
The Most Popular CTA Bus Routes
Chicago’s bus network is massive with over 100 routes, but a handful of routes see significantly more action than the rest.
- 36 Broadway: 891 rides
- 77 Belmont: 890 rides
- 151 Sheridan: 763 rides
- 22 Clark: 696 rides
- 8 Halsted: 423 rides
The 36 Broadway and 77 Belmont are practically tied at the top. Both serve busy North Side corridors and connect riders to major L stations. The 151 Sheridan is a lakefront favorite, running along the east side of the city from Devon down to Union Station.
The Most Visited CTA Stops
When it comes to individual stops, Belmont wins by a landslide with 2,241 total visits. That’s more than double second place Fullerton.
- Belmont: 2,241 rides
- Fullerton: 1,079 rides
- Addison: 1,020 rides
- Chicago: 933 rides
- Bryn Mawr: 818 rides
- Grand: 698 rides
- Clark/Lake: 693 rides
- Lake: 648 rides
- Sheridan: 604 rides
- Jackson: 593 rides
Belmont’s dominance is no surprise. It’s a transfer point for three lines (Red, Brown, and Purple) and sits in the heart of Lakeview, one of Chicago’s most active neighborhoods. For a deeper look at overall ridership patterns, see our full CTA ridership data breakdown.
How We Collected This Data
This data comes from Transit Stats, a free CTA tracker app that lets Chicago riders track their Ventra card rides and see personal transit analytics. Thousands of riders have logged more than 23,000 rides on the platform, giving us a unique look at how Chicagoans actually use Chicago public transit, and how much CO2 they save by choosing the CTA.