CTA’s Pride Train Celebrates Chicago’s Diversity and Inclusiveness
Eight-car Red Line train featuring new design will run through fall
To celebrate Pride Month, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) today announced the return of the Pride Train, an eight-car train wrapped in the colors of a rainbow in celebration of the dynamism and continuing evolution of the LGBTQ community locally and nationally. This year marks the seventh anniversary of the Pride Train, which is now in service along the Red Line.
Complementing the Pride Train, CTA and Ventra have also re-launched the Pride Signature Ventra Card, which will is now available for purchase through the Ventra website.
"No matter where you live in Chicago or how you identify, you can live freely and proudly in the city of Chicago where we champion the LGBTQ community," said Mayor Brandon Johnson. "The Pride Train is a reminder to residents and visitors that Chicago is a beacon for freedom, hope, and love – and most importantly, all are welcome and celebrated here. As we celebrate Pride events throughout the month, I encourage everyone to use the CTA and continue doing their part to make Chicago a more inclusive place for everyone."
“This tradition is a point of pride for our agency and is a celebration of the community that we serve,” said CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. “Our hope is that the annual Pride Train welcomes both new riders to the system and reinforces the feeling of safety and inclusion we want all our riders to feel.”
This year’s train features a new design, which will cover the entirety of the train. The 2024 design is an evolution of the previous year’s line-art, using bands of color like the transit map lines, but with a curved and inverting rainbow pattern forming shapes. The design continues to embrace not only the classic Pride Flag colors, but also includes colors to represent LGBTQ people of color with the black and brown stripes and trans color trio.
The Pride Ventra Card design draws inspiration from our colorful rail lines converging in the Loop. Learn more at ventrachicago.com/purchase/.
The CTA became the first major U.S. transit agency to unveil a Pride Train when it introduced the concept to Chicago in 2017.