Does anyone else struggle with GWR and it's Wi-Fi?

[cc97]

For some reason, GWR's Wi-Fi on their trains has never been very good, you'll connect initially but it drops very quickly and if you do re-connect, more often than not it won't have internet.

Is it because of most of the routes go through countryside or farmland which has no coverage? Or is it specific fleets that have this problem?

On the subject, what is the best region of the railways or company that has the best Wi-Fi?

 

[377electrostar]

For some reason, GWR's Wi-Fi on their trains has never been very good, you'll connect initially but it drops very quickly and if you do re-connect, more often than not it won't have internet.

Is it because of most of the routes go through countryside or farmland which has no coverage? Or is it specific fleets that have this problem?

On the subject, what is the best region of the railways or company that has the best Wi-Fi?

In my experience, its only their IETs that have WiFi issues. The rest of the fleet seem to be fine, but their 387s have the best WiFi connectivity. When I rode on one between Bristol and London (mind you, much better than an IET also), the area with the worst connectivity was just after Didcot.

 

[cc97]

In my experience, its only their IETs that have WiFi issues. The rest of the fleet seem to be fine, but their 387s have the best WiFi connectivity. When I rode on one between Bristol and London (mind you, much better than an IET also), the area with the worst connectivity was just after Didcot.

Well that's a bit of a stinker given IET is their main train for their most important services.

 

[Snow1964]

In my experience, its only their IETs that have WiFi issues. The rest of the fleet seem to be fine, but their 387s have the best WiFi connectivity. When I rode on one between Bristol and London (mind you, much better than an IET also), the area with the worst connectivity was just after Didcot.

The 158, 165, 166 fleet is very patchy too.

My local journey is between Bradford on Avon and Bath Spa, about 50% of the journey it doesn't connect, or if connected freezes and hangs.

Actually the wifi is virtually non existent (as are mobile signals) in parts of rural Wiltshire, Somerset, Gloucestershire etc.

 

[thejuggler]

Regardless of TOC or unit, train wi fi is generally poor. Data connection is far more reliable.

 

[cc97]

Regardless of TOC or unit, train wi fi is generally poor. Data connection is far more reliable.

SWR's Suburban routes are decent, can't speak for the main line services cause I haven't really been on them to say

 

[stuu]

It is useless between Taunton and Reading, but so is mobile coverage for a lot of the way too

 

[D6130]

I find that the WiFi on Northern and TPE trains is generally pretty good. The worst by far is on Eurostar.

 

[Ashley Hill]

GWR WiFi is generally crap which is why its free. However 802101 had a modified WiFi system as discussed here….

Enhanced WiFi trial on GWR

Lord Peter Hendy today (17/11/25) launched a two month trial of enhanced wifi on a GWR IET. It switches between 5G mobile and satellite connections, to provide the fastest speed possible. (There's no mention of the connection problems posed by tunnels!) He said the DfT would be awaiting the...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Parallel]

The 158, 165, 166 fleet is very patchy too.

My local journey is between Bradford on Avon and Bath Spa, about 50% of the journey it doesn't connect, or if connected freezes and hangs.

Actually the wifi is virtually non existent (as are mobile signals) in parts of rural Wiltshire, Somerset, Gloucestershire etc.

Between Bradford-on-Avon and Bath is more of a data issue than just a WiFi issue. There is very little mobile signal between these stations.

 

[Recessio]

Reading to Gatwick is pretty patchy, especially the stretch between Guildford and Redhill - I'm guessing because it goes through so much open countryside in the Surrey Hills?

 

[Barry169]

Yes, on the AT300s. The default is connected, no internet. Works about 20% of the time.

No problems with TFW along the same route.

 

[Trainguy34]

The worst by far is on Eurostar.

I think that might be in part because of the speeds it travels at.

 

[D6130]

I think that might be in part because of the speeds it travels at.

I thought that it was more to do with the fact that they use a crappy cheap system whereby the internet is taken from the nearby available mobile phone network, rather than WiFi.

I've never had any problems with the proper WiFi connections on SNCF TGVs or Trenitalia Frecciarossa services travelling at 300 Km/h.

 

[Trainguy34]

I thought that it was more to do with the fact that they use a crappy cheap system whereby the internet is taken from the nearby available mobile phone network, rather than WiFi.

I've never had any problems with the proper WiFi connections on SNCF TGVs or Trenitalia Frecciarossa services travelling at 300 Km/h.

Maybe not then, you learn something new every day!

 

[Pete_uk]

I thought that it was more to do with the fact that they use a crappy cheap system whereby the internet is taken from the nearby available mobile phone network, rather than WiFi.

I've never had any problems with the proper WiFi connections on SNCF TGVs or Trenitalia Frecciarossa services travelling at 300 Km/h.

The onboard wifi can only be connected to the Internet via mobile phone networks.

I wonder if they try to VPN the data back to somewhere else before accessing the internet instead of just via the available phone network? It baffles me how new trains can have such a crubbish system.

* VPN = Virtual Private Network

 

[Annetts key]

Having travelled many sections of the GWR network (as well as on various other services in the same or nearby area), there is no simple clear cut answer.

I've had problems on GWR, TfW and Cross-country. I can't really comment on other operators, as I don't travel on them anywhere near as much.

Unless a train is fitted with a satellite system, on-board Wi-Fi has to use nearby 4G or 5G (where available) mobile masts.

So in countryside areas, in cuttings or tunnels, the signal may be weak or non-existent.

The other problem is that if the train is busy, more people are likely to be trying to use the Wi-Fi at the same time, so the available bandwidth gets shared between them.

How good your own 4G or 5G mobile signal signal is is also affected by the same issues. But if you are using a different provider, your service may be better than that for the train. Or it may be worse. Because not every network uses the same transmitter sites.

As well as the above, sometimes some devices connect, but for some reason the internet connection is not established. I've had it where my pad can't get a internet connection but using the exact same Wi-Fi in the same seat of the same carriage, my 'phone can get the internet via the Wi-Fi...

And then occasionally a train or a coach on a train won't have a working Wi-Fi system.

For GWR, parts of Devon, Cornwall and Somerset most definitely have patchy coverage. Not as bad, but there are smaller areas of patchy coverage elsewhere in countryside areas.

Similarly elsewhere in the country.

In terms of trains, I wouldn't say IETs are any worse than the DMUs that GWR operate. I don't travel on 387s very often, so hard to compare.

 

[RedPostJunc]

The 158, 165, 166 fleet is very patchy too.

My local journey is between Bradford on Avon and Bath Spa, about 50% of the journey it doesn't connect, or if connected freezes and hangs.

Actually the wifi is virtually non existent (as are mobile signals) in parts of rural Wiltshire, Somerset, Gloucestershire etc.Sslight off topic

The 158, 165, 166 fleet is very patchy too.

My local journey is between Bradford on Avon and Bath Spa, about 50% of the journey it doesn't connect, or if connected freezes and hangs.

Actually the wifi is virtually non existent (as are mobile signals) in parts of rural Wiltshire, Somerset, Gloucestershire etc.

Slightly off topic - it’s not just the WiFi that is poor on these GWR units. In my experience the associated power and USB points often do not work

 

[Recessio]

Often I find if I inform the guard about the sockets and USBs on the 165/166 units, they can reset the breakers and get them working again.

However the Internet is just terrible onboard, though I guess that's the rural routes between Guildford and Gatwick.

 

[Arewethereyet?]

GW wifi on the Cotswold line is desperate with, for some reason, no signal in Oxford station.

 

[mickey]

I thought that it was more to do with the fact that they use a crappy cheap system whereby the internet is taken from the nearby available mobile phone network, rather than WiFi.

I've never had any problems with the proper WiFi connections on SNCF TGVs or Trenitalia Frecciarossa services travelling at 300 Km/h.

SNCF have installed phone masts along almost all of their LGV network, deliberately and specifically so that TGV services receive a good service, thus enabling people to work effectively. They layer did a study that showed it paid for itself with strong revenue from business customers who knew they could be connected so didn’t drive or fly.

If the UK had similar sensible thinking, we could have done similar along the WCML (along with adding additional tracks for capacity) and saved a fortune on HS2.