Inaudible announcements on the TTC have been an ongoing struggle for subway riders but there might be light at the end of the tunnel.
The system is meant to keep riders informed of service changes, updates, delays, and emergencies while riding the subway.
But for many commuters, the announcements are often inaudible or distorted. Some users online say it’s a communication breakdown that adds confusion and stress to their transit experiences.
On social media, users haven’t held back.
“Real question: why in 2025 is it still impossible to get an announcement system in the TTC that can allow us to hear what the conductor is saying??” a user on Threads posted.
“We can barely get a *working* TTC (it breaks down so many times it’s ridiculous) and you want a working announcement system? In THIS economy?!” another user commented.
“At this point trains should have a screen that we can read these announcements too. It’s like we are stuck in the 50s or something,” another user suggested.
“That’s just one of over 100 flaws the TTC needs to fix. We can’t really call Toronto a “world class city” when our public transit system is so incompetently managed,” one user expressed.
Read More
Transit advocacy group TTCriders says the transit agency is unreliable today because it has been underfunded for years.
“When there are unplanned emergency shutdowns or planned weekend closures on the subway, transit riders need better communication, including PA announcements we can understand, more visual alerts displayed for improved accessibility, and updated information on apps, especially when there are streetcar diversions,” TTCriders Executive Director Shelagh Pizey-Allen told Now Toronto in an email statement.
The TTC is aware of the ongoing issue with the PA system and is implementing plans to address it. Back in January, the TTC Board requested that staff review communication protocols with riders during service interruptions, including auditing all PA systems. The report is expected to be delivered to the board next quarter.
According to the TTC’s 2025 budget report, the agency is also investing $15 million from 2025 to 2026 in targeted upgrades at six key stations, which were unnamed.
Part of that funding will go toward piloting a new public address system, alongside improvements to station aesthetics, lighting upgrades with energy-efficient LED’s, and red paint treatments to improve transit priority and safety at station entrances.
In addition, the TTC has started taking internal steps to address the PA system’s shortcomings. According to a 2023 ‘Overview of Public Address and Passenger Assistance Intercom Systems’ board meeting document sent to Now Toronto via email, the agency began daily audits of PA systems in stations in August 2023 and on trains in November 2023.
These audits help identify and flag issues for quick repair.
The TTC also enforced the use of standardized announcement scripts to ensure consistent and clear messaging across the system, supported by ongoing quality assurance checks.
Although these are not a complete solution to transit riders’ complaints, TTC users can send their complaints, feedback and suggestions here.
