Amtrak · Chicago, IL – Carbondale, IL
Illini Cell Service & Coverage Map
Modeled coverage on board the Illini, Chicago, IL to Carbondale, IL. On the train, AT&T has the most solid coverage at 97% of the route, ahead of Verizon (93%) and T-Mobile (73%). Amber stretches are spotty: signal often works but may drop. AT&T's longest true dead zone runs about 0 miles near Chicago, IL.
The whole line at a glance
Carbondale, IL on the left, Chicago, IL on the right. Scroll sideways on a phone. Hover a band for its mileposts. Verizon, on the train.
Carriers compared on the train
| Carrier | Coverage mix | Solid | Spotty | 5G | Dead-zone miles | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Best on board | 97% | 3% | 82% | 0 | 0.0 mi | |
| Verizon | 93% | 7% | 41% | 0 | 0.0 mi | |
| T-Mobile | 73% | 25% | 67% | 7 | 3.2 mi |
Coverage summary
Verizon · On the train (in-vehicle model)
of the route has solid Verizon service on the train, plus 7% spotty
has modeled 5G; 27% at the faster 35/3 Mbps tier
longest dead zone (no signal in either model), near Chicago, IL
longest unbroken covered stretch, between Champaign and Mattoon
- 5G NR · 35/3 Mbps 26.6%
- 5G NR · 7/1 Mbps 14.5%
- 4G LTE 51.7%
- Spotty (outdoor-strength only) 7.2%
Verizon · Outdoor model
of the route has solid Verizon service outdoors
has modeled 5G; 79% at the faster 35/3 Mbps tier
longest dead zone (no signal in either model), near Chicago, IL
longest unbroken covered stretch, between Champaign and Mattoon
- 5G NR · 35/3 Mbps 78.8%
- 5G NR · 7/1 Mbps 4.0%
- 4G LTE 17.2%
AT&T · On the train (in-vehicle model)
of the route has solid AT&T service on the train, plus 3% spotty
has modeled 5G; 71% at the faster 35/3 Mbps tier
longest dead zone (no signal in either model), near Chicago, IL
longest unbroken covered stretch, between Champaign and Mattoon
- 5G NR · 35/3 Mbps 70.8%
- 5G NR · 7/1 Mbps 11.1%
- 4G LTE 15.1%
- Spotty (outdoor-strength only) 3.0%
AT&T · Outdoor model
of the route has solid AT&T service outdoors
has modeled 5G; 88% at the faster 35/3 Mbps tier
longest dead zone (no signal in either model), near Chicago, IL
longest unbroken covered stretch, between Champaign and Mattoon
- 5G NR · 35/3 Mbps 88.0%
- 5G NR · 7/1 Mbps 8.7%
- 4G LTE 3.2%
T-Mobile · On the train (in-vehicle model)
of the route has solid T-Mobile service on the train, plus 25% spotty
has modeled 5G; 48% at the faster 35/3 Mbps tier
longest dead zone (no signal in either model), between Centralia and Du Quoin
longest unbroken covered stretch, between Chicago and Homewood
- 5G NR · 35/3 Mbps 47.6%
- 5G NR · 7/1 Mbps 19.3%
- 4G LTE 5.8%
- Spotty (outdoor-strength only) 24.7%
- No modeled coverage 2.4%
Plan downloads and calls around Centralia–Du Quoin (7.2 mi without coverage).
T-Mobile · Outdoor model
of the route has solid T-Mobile service outdoors
has modeled 5G; 87% at the faster 35/3 Mbps tier
longest dead zone (no signal in either model), between Centralia and Du Quoin
longest unbroken covered stretch, between Champaign and Mattoon
- 5G NR · 35/3 Mbps 86.9%
- 5G NR · 7/1 Mbps 7.9%
- 4G LTE 2.3%
- No modeled coverage 3.0%
Plan downloads and calls around Centralia–Du Quoin (8.9 mi without coverage).
Station to station
In timetable order from Chicago, IL. Distances are along the track. Follows the carrier and model selected on the map.
| Segment | Miles | Coverage mix | Solid | 5G | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago → Homewood | 24 | 98% | 45% | — | |
| Homewood → Kankakee | 32 | 99% | 46% | — | |
| Kankakee → Gilman | 26 | 95% | 41% | — | |
| Gilman → Rantoul | 32 | 88% | 33% | — | |
| Rantoul → Champaign | 14 | 100% | 72% | — | |
| Champaign → Mattoon | 45 | 99% | 49% | — | |
| Mattoon → Effingham | 27 | 99% | 57% | — | |
| Effingham → Centralia | 53 | 87% | 42% | — | |
| Centralia → Du Quoin | 36 | 84% | 21% | — | |
| Du Quoin → Carbondale | 20 | 84% | 20% | — |
| Segment | Miles | Coverage mix | Solid | 5G | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago → Homewood | 24 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Homewood → Kankakee | 32 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Kankakee → Gilman | 26 | 100% | 86% | — | |
| Gilman → Rantoul | 32 | 100% | 65% | — | |
| Rantoul → Champaign | 14 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Champaign → Mattoon | 45 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Mattoon → Effingham | 27 | 100% | 80% | — | |
| Effingham → Centralia | 53 | 100% | 84% | — | |
| Centralia → Du Quoin | 36 | 100% | 57% | — | |
| Du Quoin → Carbondale | 20 | 100% | 54% | — |
| Segment | Miles | Coverage mix | Solid | 5G | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago → Homewood | 24 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Homewood → Kankakee | 32 | 100% | 89% | — | |
| Kankakee → Gilman | 26 | 99% | 89% | — | |
| Gilman → Rantoul | 32 | 98% | 88% | — | |
| Rantoul → Champaign | 14 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Champaign → Mattoon | 45 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Mattoon → Effingham | 27 | 100% | 85% | — | |
| Effingham → Centralia | 53 | 94% | 60% | — | |
| Centralia → Du Quoin | 36 | 86% | 74% | — | |
| Du Quoin → Carbondale | 20 | 100% | 46% | — |
| Segment | Miles | Coverage mix | Solid | 5G | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago → Homewood | 24 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Homewood → Kankakee | 32 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Kankakee → Gilman | 26 | 100% | 99% | — | |
| Gilman → Rantoul | 32 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Rantoul → Champaign | 14 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Champaign → Mattoon | 45 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Mattoon → Effingham | 27 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Effingham → Centralia | 53 | 100% | 88% | — | |
| Centralia → Du Quoin | 36 | 100% | 93% | — | |
| Du Quoin → Carbondale | 20 | 100% | 95% | — |
| Segment | Miles | Coverage mix | Solid | 5G | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago → Homewood | 24 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Homewood → Kankakee | 32 | 94% | 88% | — | |
| Kankakee → Gilman | 26 | 72% | 69% | — | |
| Gilman → Rantoul | 32 | 54% | 48% | 0.3 mi | |
| Rantoul → Champaign | 14 | 98% | 98% | — | |
| Champaign → Mattoon | 45 | 89% | 76% | — | |
| Mattoon → Effingham | 27 | 85% | 81% | — | |
| Effingham → Centralia | 53 | 67% | 59% | — | |
| Centralia → Du Quoin | 36 | 37% | 34% | 3.2 mi | |
| Du Quoin → Carbondale | 20 | 48% | 41% | — |
| Segment | Miles | Coverage mix | Solid | 5G | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago → Homewood | 24 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Homewood → Kankakee | 32 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Kankakee → Gilman | 26 | 99% | 99% | 0.3 mi | |
| Gilman → Rantoul | 32 | 100% | 96% | — | |
| Rantoul → Champaign | 14 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Champaign → Mattoon | 45 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Mattoon → Effingham | 27 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Effingham → Centralia | 53 | 100% | 96% | — | |
| Centralia → Du Quoin | 36 | 75% | 67% | 3.2 mi | |
| Du Quoin → Carbondale | 20 | 100% | 97% | — |
Illini cell service FAQ
Does the Illini have cell service?
For most of the trip, yes. Inside the train, solid coverage (the FCC's in-vehicle model) reaches 97% for AT&T, 93% for Verizon, 73% for T-Mobile of the 310-mile route from Chicago, IL to Carbondale, IL. Much of the rest is spotty rather than dead: AT&T has some signal on 100%, Verizon has some signal on 100%, T-Mobile has some signal on 98%.
Which carrier is best on the Illini?
AT&T has the most modeled on-train coverage (97%), with 5G on 82% of the route. Verizon covers 93% and T-Mobile covers 73%.
Where is the longest dead zone on the Illini?
AT&T: about 0 miles near Chicago, IL. Verizon: about 0 miles near Chicago, IL. T-Mobile: about 3 miles between Centralia and Du Quoin.
Does Amtrak Wi-Fi work on the Illini?
Amtrak Wi-Fi relies on cellular networks, so it generally weakens or drops in the same places your phone does. Expect it to be unreliable through the dead zones shown on this map.
How accurate is this coverage map?
It reflects carrier-reported modeled coverage published by the FCC (data as of Dec 31, 2025). It is not an onboard measurement. BarTrakr shows the FCC's in-vehicle model by default; the outdoor model is available with the Outdoor switch.
Can I use BarTrakr on the train without signal?
Yes. Tap “Save for offline” before you board. The route, coverage data and map background up to zoom 10 are stored on your device, and live tracking uses your phone's GPS, which works without cell service.
About this data
- Coverage: FCC Broadband Data Collection mobile coverage for Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, release D25 (as of Dec 31, 2025, published Oct 13, 2026).
- Route: U.S. DOT / BTS National Transportation Atlas Database, Amtrak Routes. Stations and stop order: Amtrak GTFS.
- On the train: colored where the FCC in-vehicle model shows coverage; amber (spotty) where only the outdoor model does; red where neither does.
- Stretches shorter than a quarter mile are merged into their neighbors; at train speed they last only seconds.