UK Train Wi-Fi Among Europe's Worst, Government Plans Improvements
Britain's onboard train wi-fi is one of Europe's worst. This is how people manage

Image: The Bbc
The onboard Wi-Fi on UK trains is rated as one of the poorest in Europe, with average speeds of just 1.09 Mbps. The UK government plans to invest £57 million to enhance connectivity by connecting trains to low-earth satellites, aiming to improve speed and reliability significantly over the next five years.
- 01The UK's train Wi-Fi ranked 16th out of 18 countries in a 2025 report by Ookla, with average speeds far below those in Sweden and Switzerland.
- 02Current Wi-Fi availability on trains is around 50-60%, with plans to increase this to at least 90%.
- 03Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander is expected to announce the new connectivity plans this summer.
- 04Passengers often experience unreliable connections, impacting their ability to work during commutes.
- 05Some passengers resort to using mobile data or downloading content in advance due to poor onboard Wi-Fi.
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The onboard Wi-Fi on UK trains has been reported as one of the worst in Europe, with average speeds of only 1.09 Megabits per second (Mbps), significantly lagging behind countries like Sweden and Switzerland. Many commuters, such as Rebecca Kendall, struggle with unreliable connections, often managing only half of their usual tasks. A recent report by Ookla ranked the UK 16th out of 18 countries for train Wi-Fi performance. In response, the UK government has announced plans to invest £57 million to enhance train connectivity by using low-earth satellites, which could increase Wi-Fi availability from 50-60% to at least 90% and improve speeds five- to ten-fold. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander is set to formally announce these plans in the summer. Passengers have expressed frustration over the current service, with many resorting to mobile data or pre-downloading content. While some appreciate the opportunity for a digital detox, others find the lack of reliable Wi-Fi frustrating, especially when trying to work during their journeys.
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The planned improvements in train Wi-Fi will significantly enhance connectivity for commuters, allowing them to work more effectively during their journeys.
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