Passengers benefit from faster satellite wifi on south western railway festive services

Credit: Department for Transport

Passengers travelling between London Waterloo, Portsmouth and Weymouth this festive period can now benefit from stronger, faster wifi, as South Western Railway launches a one-year trial using new satellite technology.

The publicly-owned operator is among the first in England to introduce satellite-powered wifi, delivering up to 97 per cent coverage through the New Forest, one of the rail network’s most challenging signal blackspot areas. The trial launches on 20 December 2025, giving hundreds of passengers the chance to stream festive films, shop online or stay in touch with loved ones while travelling between London and the south of England.

Powered by Starlink technology from SpaceX, the trial is taking place on a Class 444 train operating between London Waterloo, Portsmouth Harbour and Weymouth. Historically, passengers travelling through the New Forest have experienced internet dropouts of more than 20 minutes. Early testing now shows coverage across 97 per cent of the route, significantly improving reliability and speed.

Unlike traditional onboard wifi, which relies on mobile networks that often struggle in remote or busy areas, satellite technology uses a constellation of low-Earth orbit satellites to deliver a stronger and more resilient connection almost anywhere.

If successful, the technology could be rolled out across more trains in the South Western Railway fleet and encourage other publicly-owned operators to adopt similar solutions.

The trial follows the creation of Project Reach, a national partnership bringing together public and private investment to eliminate mobile signal blackspots on key rail routes, including in tunnels. The multi-year project is expected to save taxpayers around £300 million, with the first installation of mobile infrastructure due to begin in 2026 and full rollout by 2028.

With publicly-owned operators now responsible for around 33 per cent of all passenger rail journeys in Great Britain, improving connectivity is seen as a key part of delivering a more reliable, passenger-focused railway under Great British Railways.

Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy said:

“A good wifi signal can transform a journey and SWR’s wifi trial is a game changer for passengers.

“With Christmas and New Year celebrations just around the corner, passengers travelling for the holidays can enjoy their journeys knowing they’ll stay connected – whether that’s to watch their favourite festive films, do last-minute shopping or catch up with loved ones at this special time of year.

“This is exactly the kind of improvement rail operators under public ownership can deliver to put passengers first and make rail travel enjoyable for all.”

Peter Williams, South Western Railway’s Customer and Commercial Director, said:

“We know how important reliable wifi is to our customers – it supports productivity, keeps people connected and entertained and makes rail an even more attractive and sustainable way to travel.

“By bringing satellite technology to our trains, we’re covering some of the hardest-to-reach parts of the network and showing that seamless connectivity is possible wherever you travel. This is another big step towards improving the onboard experience for our customers and we are excited to see how it can benefit more routes across our network in future.”

The announcement also highlights wider improvements under public ownership. South Western Railway has quadrupled the number of new Arterio trains in service, increasing morning peak capacity into London Waterloo by nearly 12 per cent since May. These trains offer air conditioning, accessible toilets and charging points at every seat.

The trial comes as Parliament continues scrutiny of the Railways Bill and follows the government’s decision to freeze rail fares for the first time in 30 years, aimed at easing cost of living pressures for passengers.