Amtrak · Chicago, IL – Kansas City, MO
Lincoln Service–Missouri River Runner Cell Service & Coverage Map
Modeled coverage on board the Lincoln Service–Missouri River Runner, Chicago, IL to Kansas City, MO. On the train, AT&T has the most solid coverage at 88% of the route, ahead of Verizon (78%) and T-Mobile (72%). Amber stretches are spotty: signal often works but may drop. AT&T's longest true dead zone runs about 2 miles between Carlinville and Alton.
Train 318/319 runs straight through from Chicago, IL to Kansas City, MO under one train number, with no change at St. Louis. It's the Lincoln Service and Missouri River Runner back to back, so the coverage here matches those two pages.
Plan your work on board
Say how many hours you need to get done. We'll find the stretches of your trip with signal good enough for it, station to station, using the timetable.
6 h 54 min of steady signal on Verizon across 7 stretches, out of a 11 h 20 min ride from Kansas City to Chicago. That covers your 3 h.
Same trip on other carriers: AT&T 9 h 15 min · T-Mobile 6 h 14 min. AT&T gives you 2 h 21 min more.
- 10:09 AM – 11:18 AM CDT 13 mi past Warrensburg → 23 mi before Jefferson City 1 h 9 min Also usable
- 11:18 AM – 1:19 PM CDT 23 mi before Jefferson City → 14 mi past Washington 2 h 1 min Offline or email
- 1:54 PM – 3:20 PM CDT 3 mi past Kirkwood → 10 mi before Alton 1 h 26 min Work here
- 3:20 PM – 4:02 PM CDT 10 mi before Alton → 3 mi before Carlinville 43 min Offline or email
- 4:02 PM – 4:35 PM CDT 3 mi before Carlinville → 8 mi before Springfield 33 min Also usable
- 4:35 PM – 5:19 PM CDT 8 mi before Springfield → 16 mi past Lincoln 44 min Offline or email
- 5:19 PM – 7:59 PM CDT 16 mi past Lincoln → Chicago 2 h 40 min Work here
Plus 5 shorter stretches under 30 minutes, not listed.
Only counts 7 am to 10 pm local time. Times are from train 318's timetable. If you're running late, go by the stations, not the clock. Steady blocks count solid 5G and LTE, ride through spotty dips under 3/4 mi and dead spots under 1/4 mi, and end where signal keeps flickering. Modeled coverage, not measured.
The whole line at a glance
Kansas City, MO 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 | 88% | 11% | 71% | 5 | 1.6 mi | |
| Verizon | 78% | 19% | 30% | 17 | 4.9 mi | |
| T-Mobile | 72% | 24% | 60% | 25 | 5.6 mi |
Coverage summary
Verizon · On the train (in-vehicle model)
of the route has solid Verizon service on the train, plus 19% spotty
has modeled 5G; 20% at the faster 35/3 Mbps tier
longest dead zone (no signal in either model), between Washington and Hermann
longest unbroken covered stretch, between Summit and Joliet
- 5G NR · 35/3 Mbps 19.5%
- 5G NR · 7/1 Mbps 10.6%
- 4G LTE 48.0%
- Spotty (outdoor-strength only) 18.9%
- No modeled coverage 3.0%
Plan downloads and calls around Washington–Hermann (6.8 mi without coverage), Hermann–Jefferson City (5.0 mi without coverage), Carlinville–Alton (4.9 mi without coverage).
Verizon · Outdoor model
of the route has solid Verizon service outdoors
has modeled 5G; 58% at the faster 35/3 Mbps tier
longest dead zone (no signal in either model), between Washington and Hermann
longest unbroken covered stretch, between Pontiac and Normal
- 5G NR · 35/3 Mbps 58.0%
- 5G NR · 7/1 Mbps 8.8%
- 4G LTE 30.2%
- No modeled coverage 3.0%
Plan downloads and calls around Washington–Hermann (6.8 mi without coverage), Hermann–Jefferson City (5.0 mi without coverage), Carlinville–Alton (4.9 mi without coverage).
AT&T · On the train (in-vehicle model)
of the route has solid AT&T service on the train, plus 11% spotty
has modeled 5G; 59% at the faster 35/3 Mbps tier
longest dead zone (no signal in either model), between Carlinville and Alton
longest unbroken covered stretch, between Normal and Lincoln
- 5G NR · 35/3 Mbps 58.9%
- 5G NR · 7/1 Mbps 12.6%
- 4G LTE 16.3%
- Spotty (outdoor-strength only) 11.2%
- No modeled coverage 1.0%
Plan downloads and calls around Hermann–Jefferson City (3.2 mi without coverage), Carlinville–Alton (1.9 mi without coverage).
AT&T · Outdoor model
of the route has solid AT&T service outdoors
has modeled 5G; 70% at the faster 35/3 Mbps tier
longest dead zone (no signal in either model), between Carlinville and Alton
longest unbroken covered stretch, between Pontiac and Normal
- 5G NR · 35/3 Mbps 69.5%
- 5G NR · 7/1 Mbps 21.2%
- 4G LTE 8.0%
- No modeled coverage 1.3%
Plan downloads and calls around Hermann–Jefferson City (3.1 mi without coverage), Carlinville–Alton (2.8 mi without coverage), Lee's Summit–Independence (0.8 mi without coverage).
T-Mobile · On the train (in-vehicle model)
of the route has solid T-Mobile service on the train, plus 24% spotty
has modeled 5G; 47% at the faster 35/3 Mbps tier
longest dead zone (no signal in either model), near Carlinville, IL
longest unbroken covered stretch, between Pontiac and Normal
- 5G NR · 35/3 Mbps 46.5%
- 5G NR · 7/1 Mbps 13.4%
- 4G LTE 11.8%
- Spotty (outdoor-strength only) 23.7%
- No modeled coverage 4.5%
Plan downloads and calls around Hermann–Jefferson City (10.6 mi without coverage), Washington–Hermann (5.8 mi without coverage), Carlinville–Alton (5.6 mi without coverage).
T-Mobile · Outdoor model
of the route has solid T-Mobile service outdoors
has modeled 5G; 80% at the faster 35/3 Mbps tier
longest dead zone (no signal in either model), near Carlinville, IL
longest unbroken covered stretch, between Pontiac and Normal
- 5G NR · 35/3 Mbps 80.0%
- 5G NR · 7/1 Mbps 10.0%
- 4G LTE 5.1%
- No modeled coverage 4.9%
Plan downloads and calls around Hermann–Jefferson City (11.9 mi without coverage), Washington–Hermann (6.0 mi without coverage), Carlinville–Alton (5.8 mi without coverage).
When you'll lose signal
Dead zones of 3 miles or more, with the scheduled time you'll pass through each one, from Amtrak's current timetable. Real trains run late, so treat these as a guide. Follows the carrier and model selected on the map.
Verizon · On the train
Train 318 · toward Chicago
| Dead zone | Length | Scheduled time (local) | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| between Washington and Hermann | 4.9 mi | 12:39 PM – 12:44 PM CDT | ~5 min |
| between Carlinville and Alton | 3.2 mi | 3:59 PM – 4:01 PM CDT | ~3 min |
Train 319 · toward Kansas City
| Dead zone | Length | Scheduled time (local) | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| between Carlinville and Alton | 3.2 mi | 1:36 PM – 1:38 PM CDT | ~2 min |
| between Washington and Hermann | 4.9 mi | 4:36 PM – 4:41 PM CDT | ~5 min |
Verizon · Outdoor model
Train 318 · toward Chicago
| Dead zone | Length | Scheduled time (local) | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| between Washington and Hermann | 4.9 mi | 12:39 PM – 12:44 PM CDT | ~5 min |
| between Carlinville and Alton | 3.2 mi | 3:59 PM – 4:01 PM CDT | ~3 min |
Train 319 · toward Kansas City
| Dead zone | Length | Scheduled time (local) | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| between Carlinville and Alton | 3.2 mi | 1:36 PM – 1:38 PM CDT | ~2 min |
| between Washington and Hermann | 4.9 mi | 4:36 PM – 4:41 PM CDT | ~5 min |
AT&T · On the train
No dead zones of 3 miles or more for this carrier.
AT&T · Outdoor model
No dead zones of 3 miles or more for this carrier.
T-Mobile · On the train
Train 318 · toward Chicago
| Dead zone | Length | Scheduled time (local) | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| between Hermann and Jefferson City | 4.8 mi | 11:59 AM – 12:04 PM CDT | ~5 min |
| between Carlinville and Alton | 5.6 mi | 3:57 PM – 4:02 PM CDT | ~5 min |
Train 319 · toward Kansas City
| Dead zone | Length | Scheduled time (local) | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| between Carlinville and Alton | 5.6 mi | 1:35 PM – 1:39 PM CDT | ~4 min |
| between Hermann and Jefferson City | 4.8 mi | 5:19 PM – 5:25 PM CDT | ~6 min |
T-Mobile · Outdoor model
Train 318 · toward Chicago
| Dead zone | Length | Scheduled time (local) | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| between Hermann and Jefferson City | 4.9 mi | 11:59 AM – 12:04 PM CDT | ~5 min |
| between Carlinville and Alton | 5.8 mi | 3:57 PM – 4:02 PM CDT | ~5 min |
Train 319 · toward Kansas City
| Dead zone | Length | Scheduled time (local) | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| between Carlinville and Alton | 5.8 mi | 1:35 PM – 1:39 PM CDT | ~4 min |
| between Hermann and Jefferson City | 4.9 mi | 5:19 PM – 5:25 PM CDT | ~6 min |
State by state
How coverage changes as the Lincoln Service–Missouri River Runner crosses each state.
Verizon · On the train
| State | Miles | Coverage mix | Solid | Spotty | Dead zone | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 276 | 91% | 7% | 5 mi | 3.2 mi | |
| Missouri | 283 | 66% | 30% | 12 mi | 4.9 mi |
Verizon · Outdoor model
| State | Miles | Coverage mix | Solid | Spotty | Dead zone | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 276 | 98% | 0% | 5 mi | 3.2 mi | |
| Missouri | 283 | 96% | 0% | 12 mi | 4.9 mi |
AT&T · On the train
| State | Miles | Coverage mix | Solid | Spotty | Dead zone | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 276 | 95% | 4% | 2 mi | 1.6 mi | |
| Missouri | 283 | 80% | 18% | 4 mi | 1.5 mi |
AT&T · Outdoor model
| State | Miles | Coverage mix | Solid | Spotty | Dead zone | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 276 | 99% | 0% | 3 mi | 1.6 mi | |
| Missouri | 283 | 98% | 0% | 4 mi | 1.4 mi |
T-Mobile · On the train
| State | Miles | Coverage mix | Solid | Spotty | Dead zone | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 276 | 84% | 14% | 6 mi | 5.6 mi | |
| Missouri | 283 | 60% | 33% | 19 mi | 4.8 mi |
T-Mobile · Outdoor model
| State | Miles | Coverage mix | Solid | Spotty | Dead zone | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 276 | 98% | 0% | 6 mi | 5.8 mi | |
| Missouri | 283 | 92% | 0% | 22 mi | 4.9 mi |
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 → Summit | 12 | 100% | 74% | — | |
| Summit → Joliet | 25 | 100% | 32% | — | |
| Joliet → Dwight | 37 | 98% | 36% | — | |
| Dwight → Pontiac | 18 | 97% | 57% | — | |
| Pontiac → Normal | 32 | 100% | 68% | — | |
| Normal → Lincoln | 32 | 90% | 54% | — | |
| Lincoln → Springfield | 29 | 80% | 29% | — | |
| Springfield → Carlinville | 39 | 95% | 56% | — | |
| Carlinville → Alton | 31 | 68% | 24% | 3.2 mi | |
| Alton → St. Louis | 26 | 90% | 42% | — | |
| St. Louis → Kirkwood | 13 | 94% | 32% | — | |
| Kirkwood → Washington | 38 | 62% | 13% | — | |
| Washington → Hermann | 26 | 11% | 0% | 4.9 mi | |
| Hermann → Jefferson City | 44 | 13% | 3% | 1.3 mi | |
| Jefferson City → Sedalia | 63 | 86% | 10% | — | |
| Sedalia → Warrensburg | 30 | 90% | 34% | — | |
| Warrensburg → Lee's Summit | 41 | 86% | 12% | — | |
| Lee's Summit → Independence | 13 | 74% | 32% | — | |
| Independence → Kansas City | 10 | 100% | 53% | — |
| Segment | Miles | Coverage mix | Solid | 5G | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago → Summit | 12 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Summit → Joliet | 25 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Joliet → Dwight | 37 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Dwight → Pontiac | 18 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Pontiac → Normal | 32 | 100% | 79% | — | |
| Normal → Lincoln | 32 | 100% | 93% | — | |
| Lincoln → Springfield | 29 | 100% | 71% | — | |
| Springfield → Carlinville | 39 | 100% | 94% | — | |
| Carlinville → Alton | 31 | 84% | 45% | 3.2 mi | |
| Alton → St. Louis | 26 | 100% | 88% | — | |
| St. Louis → Kirkwood | 13 | 100% | 88% | — | |
| Kirkwood → Washington | 38 | 100% | 45% | — | |
| Washington → Hermann | 26 | 74% | 12% | 4.9 mi | |
| Hermann → Jefferson City | 44 | 89% | 10% | 1.3 mi | |
| Jefferson City → Sedalia | 63 | 100% | 45% | — | |
| Sedalia → Warrensburg | 30 | 100% | 80% | — | |
| Warrensburg → Lee's Summit | 41 | 100% | 54% | — | |
| Lee's Summit → Independence | 13 | 100% | 95% | — | |
| Independence → Kansas City | 10 | 100% | 100% | — |
| Segment | Miles | Coverage mix | Solid | 5G | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago → Summit | 12 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Summit → Joliet | 25 | 95% | 93% | — | |
| Joliet → Dwight | 37 | 98% | 84% | — | |
| Dwight → Pontiac | 18 | 100% | 90% | — | |
| Pontiac → Normal | 32 | 100% | 99% | — | |
| Normal → Lincoln | 32 | 100% | 94% | — | |
| Lincoln → Springfield | 29 | 100% | 97% | — | |
| Springfield → Carlinville | 39 | 100% | 94% | — | |
| Carlinville → Alton | 31 | 67% | 31% | 1.6 mi | |
| Alton → St. Louis | 26 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| St. Louis → Kirkwood | 13 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Kirkwood → Washington | 38 | 84% | 71% | 0.4 mi | |
| Washington → Hermann | 26 | 62% | 15% | — | |
| Hermann → Jefferson City | 44 | 41% | 21% | 1.5 mi | |
| Jefferson City → Sedalia | 63 | 87% | 51% | — | |
| Sedalia → Warrensburg | 30 | 91% | 69% | — | |
| Warrensburg → Lee's Summit | 41 | 94% | 71% | — | |
| Lee's Summit → Independence | 13 | 100% | 87% | — | |
| Independence → Kansas City | 10 | 100% | 91% | — |
| Segment | Miles | Coverage mix | Solid | 5G | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago → Summit | 12 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Summit → Joliet | 25 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Joliet → Dwight | 37 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Dwight → Pontiac | 18 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Pontiac → Normal | 32 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Normal → Lincoln | 32 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Lincoln → Springfield | 29 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Springfield → Carlinville | 39 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Carlinville → Alton | 31 | 91% | 72% | 1.6 mi | |
| Alton → St. Louis | 26 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| St. Louis → Kirkwood | 13 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Kirkwood → Washington | 38 | 99% | 92% | 0.4 mi | |
| Washington → Hermann | 26 | 100% | 61% | — | |
| Hermann → Jefferson City | 44 | 93% | 63% | 1.4 mi | |
| Jefferson City → Sedalia | 63 | 100% | 80% | 0.3 mi | |
| Sedalia → Warrensburg | 30 | 100% | 98% | — | |
| Warrensburg → Lee's Summit | 41 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Lee's Summit → Independence | 13 | 94% | 94% | 0.8 mi | |
| Independence → Kansas City | 10 | 100% | 100% | — |
| Segment | Miles | Coverage mix | Solid | 5G | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago → Summit | 12 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Summit → Joliet | 25 | 91% | 74% | — | |
| Joliet → Dwight | 37 | 86% | 73% | — | |
| Dwight → Pontiac | 18 | 74% | 74% | — | |
| Pontiac → Normal | 32 | 100% | 99% | — | |
| Normal → Lincoln | 32 | 88% | 77% | — | |
| Lincoln → Springfield | 29 | 83% | 72% | — | |
| Springfield → Carlinville | 39 | 82% | 51% | — | |
| Carlinville → Alton | 31 | 50% | 20% | 5.6 mi | |
| Alton → St. Louis | 26 | 93% | 89% | — | |
| St. Louis → Kirkwood | 13 | 96% | 79% | — | |
| Kirkwood → Washington | 38 | 68% | 54% | 1.1 mi | |
| Washington → Hermann | 26 | 20% | 15% | 1.7 mi | |
| Hermann → Jefferson City | 44 | 25% | 19% | 4.8 mi | |
| Jefferson City → Sedalia | 63 | 83% | 65% | — | |
| Sedalia → Warrensburg | 30 | 67% | 65% | — | |
| Warrensburg → Lee's Summit | 41 | 48% | 39% | 0.9 mi | |
| Lee's Summit → Independence | 13 | 71% | 71% | 0.5 mi | |
| Independence → Kansas City | 10 | 100% | 100% | — |
| Segment | Miles | Coverage mix | Solid | 5G | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago → Summit | 12 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Summit → Joliet | 25 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Joliet → Dwight | 37 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Dwight → Pontiac | 18 | 100% | 98% | — | |
| Pontiac → Normal | 32 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Normal → Lincoln | 32 | 100% | 98% | — | |
| Lincoln → Springfield | 29 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Springfield → Carlinville | 39 | 100% | 75% | — | |
| Carlinville → Alton | 31 | 82% | 61% | 5.8 mi | |
| Alton → St. Louis | 26 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| St. Louis → Kirkwood | 13 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Kirkwood → Washington | 38 | 96% | 94% | 1.4 mi | |
| Washington → Hermann | 26 | 77% | 70% | 1.8 mi | |
| Hermann → Jefferson City | 44 | 73% | 63% | 4.9 mi | |
| Jefferson City → Sedalia | 63 | 100% | 97% | — | |
| Sedalia → Warrensburg | 30 | 100% | 96% | — | |
| Warrensburg → Lee's Summit | 41 | 96% | 93% | 1.1 mi | |
| Lee's Summit → Independence | 13 | 96% | 96% | 0.5 mi | |
| Independence → Kansas City | 10 | 100% | 100% | — |
Connecting routes
Other Amtrak routes that share stations with the Lincoln Service–Missouri River Runner, ranked by how many stations they share. Coverage is the best carrier on board.
- Lincoln Service
11 shared stationsAT&T 96% - Missouri River Runner
10 shared stationsAT&T 80% - Texas Eagle
9 shared stationsAT&T 80% - Southwest Chief
at Chicago, Kansas CityAT&T 81% - Blue Water
at ChicagoAT&T 94% - Borealis
at ChicagoAT&T 86% - California Zephyr
at ChicagoAT&T 76% - Cardinal
at ChicagoAT&T 82% - Carl Sandburg
at ChicagoAT&T 85% - City of New Orleans
at ChicagoAT&T 86% - Empire Builder · Portland
at ChicagoAT&T 77% - Floridian
at ChicagoAT&T 84%
Lincoln Service–Missouri River Runner cell service FAQ
Does the Lincoln Service–Missouri River Runner have cell service?
For most of the trip, yes. Inside the train, solid coverage (the FCC's in-vehicle model) reaches 88% for AT&T, 78% for Verizon, 72% for T-Mobile of the 559-mile route from Chicago, IL to Kansas City, MO. Much of the rest is spotty rather than dead: AT&T has some signal on 99%, Verizon has some signal on 97%, T-Mobile has some signal on 96%.
Which carrier is best on the Lincoln Service–Missouri River Runner?
AT&T has the most modeled on-train coverage (88%), with 5G on 71% of the route. Verizon covers 78% and T-Mobile covers 72%.
Where is the longest dead zone on the Lincoln Service–Missouri River Runner?
AT&T: about 2 miles between Carlinville and Alton. Verizon: about 5 miles between Washington and Hermann. T-Mobile: about 6 miles near Carlinville, IL.
Does Amtrak Wi-Fi work on the Lincoln Service–Missouri River Runner?
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.
- Through train 318 / 319 runs the full route without a change at St. Louis; joined from the Lincoln Service and Missouri River Runner models.
- Stretches shorter than a quarter mile are merged into their neighbors; at train speed they last only seconds.