Train Wi-Fi: Where are we now?

Filed in archive Wireless on September 9, 2007

Since 2003 there have been many promises of wi-fi enabling trains. Virgin in 2003 promised that by the end of that year passenger trains would be wi-fi enabled. In 2004 many other British travelers were promised wi-fi enabled trains and stations.



Now in 2007, National Express promises free wi-fi to all its travelers; free wi-fi has been available on the lines now being oeprated by national express, but now it is being offered free to all travelers.

Meanwhile, in California, wi-fi on rail lines is stopped dead in its tracks. Looks like Californian travelers are not going to get wi-fi at all. Instead, it is suggested that people who really want to work on Californian trains should invest in a wireless broadband card.

Over in Europe, it seems that high speed trains traveling between Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and Cologne will have wi-fi by 2008. Eurostar passengers traveling between Paris and London also are promised wi-fi by 2008.

Why does it seem that there are more promises of wi-fi on trains than actually gets delivered? It seems that train operators suggest that they are after the business traveler, but then those promises do not eventuate. Is this because of technical problems with installing wi-fi on trains? Or is it because it is just too expensive to install?

Don't hold your breath, wi-fi plans have been derailed before.