Britain’s Infamous Poor Train Wi-Fi May Soon Be History

As I board the 09:00 service from London to Norwich, a rare phenomenon is occurring: my onboard internet connection is surprisingly stable. I am able to check emails, communicate with my team back at the office, and hold clear audio calls. In the same carriage, Rebecca Kendall has also managed to focus on her work during her two-hour commute, though she admits this level of connectivity is not the norm.

For many rail travelers, this experience is a welcome change, and improvements may be on the horizon. Rebecca, 36, serves as the head of operations for a charity and travels by train approximately six times a month. During these journeys, she sends emails, instant messages, and uses various software programs. However, she notes that the service is inconsistent, sometimes failing completely. On an average trip, Rebecca estimates she can only complete about half the tasks she would handle at her desk. When audio calls are necessary, she warns colleagues in advance about potential disconnections. “I just wouldn’t risk having an important video call,” Rebecca explains, citing the frequent instability. “I would never plan one.”

Frustrations with onboard internet are widespread among UK passengers. Connectivity is often impossible or erratic throughout the journey, and mobile data suffers similarly, particularly in tunnels. A 2025 report by network testing firm Ookla placed the UK’s onboard wi-fi speed at 16th out of 18 major European and Asian nations. The data revealed that average speeds in the UK were just 1.09 Megabits per second (Mbps), starkly contrasting with 64.58 Mbps in Sweden and 29.79 Mbps in Switzerland. In comparison, Ofcom reports that the average maximum download speed for UK households and small businesses is significantly faster at 285 Mbps.

Addressing this disparity, the government has unveiled plans to enhance the speed and reliability of train wi-fi over the next five years. The initiative involves deploying technology across 1,400 trains on nationalized mainline services, enabling them to connect via low-earth satellites rather than relying solely on mobile networks. The Department for Transport (DfT) aims to raise wi-fi availability from its current 50-60% to at least 90%, while increasing speeds by five to ten times. The project carries a £57m price tag, with Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander expected to formally announce the strategy this summer.

These plans follow successful trials of satellite connectivity with operators such as LNER, South Western Railway, and Great Western Railway, as well as services in Scotland. Under the existing infrastructure, onboard wi-fi depends on the same 4G and 5G mobile networks used by passengers’ personal devices. “If there is no signal outside the train, neither the wi-fi nor direct services will work,” the DfT stated.

Later that day, the inconsistencies became apparent again. On Greater Anglia’s 16:30 service back to London Liverpool Street, my laptop’s connection was sluggish and prone to dropping out entirely. Surprisingly, my phone maintained a connection, allowing me to stream YouTube videos. Other passengers reported that their laptops were functioning correctly. However, when I attempted to upload photos for this article to a document-sharing site, my poor connection prevented the upload.

Greater Anglia attributes its wi-fi performance to 3G and 4G mobile data signals, noting that quality fluctuates based on location along the route and the number of users. Like many other operators, the company restricts access to certain video and music-streaming platforms. Greater Anglia stated it continues to monitor performance and is collaborating with suppliers to enhance connectivity.

Meanwhile, Nelson Ntumba, 29, and Caitlin Roberts, 27, were using 5G to stream a TV series on their phones while traveling to London to visit family. Caitlin, who frequently travels to Wigan and Doncaster, typically brings a book or pre-downloads TV shows and music. As a teacher, she says she...

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-05-30 23:02:37 UTC