Passengers heading between London and the South Coast this Christmas can look forward to a more connected journey, thanks to South Western Railway (SWR) launching a cutting-edge Wi-Fi trial. The initiative promises seamless streaming, online shopping, and uninterrupted calls during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
The publicly-owned operator is among the first in England to deploy satellite-powered Wi-Fi, demonstrating how smart investment under nationalised rail can enhance passenger experience as Great British Railways takes shape.
This trial builds on Project Reach, a landmark partnership between public and private sectors aimed at eliminating mobile signal blackspots across key routes. The project is forecast to save taxpayers around £300 million, with the first installations of mobile infrastructure scheduled for 2026 and full rollout by 2028—transforming connectivity for rail users nationwide.
SWR’s trial uses Starlink technology from SpaceX on a Class 444 train operating between London Waterloo, Portsmouth Harbour, and Weymouth. The upgrade tackles one of the network’s most notorious dead zones—the New Forest—where passengers have historically faced 20-minute stretches without internet access. Early results are promising, with 97% coverage achieved so far, enabling customers to browse, stream, and stay connected at stronger speeds.
If successful, the technology could be extended across SWR’s fleet and set a precedent for other publicly-owned operators. With these operators accounting for a third of all passenger journeys in Great Britain, improving connectivity is key to delivering reliable, efficient services and making rail travel more attractive.
Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy said:
“A good Wi-Fi signal can transform a journey and SWR’s Wi-Fi 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, SWR’s Customer and Commercial Director, added:
“We know how important reliable Wi-Fi 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.”
Unlike traditional onboard Wi-Fi, which relies on mobile networks and struggles in remote areas, Starlink’s constellation of low-Earth orbit satellites delivers a stronger, more resilient connection almost anywhere in the world.
Connectivity isn’t the only area where SWR is making strides under public ownership. The operator has quadrupled the number of new Arterio trains in service, boosting morning peak capacity into London Waterloo by nearly 12% since May. These trains promise improved performance and reliability, with features such as air conditioning, accessible toilets, and charging points at every seat.
Image credit: Department for Transport
