Starlink is Fixing UK's Terrible Train Wi-Fi

If you've ever tried to work on a UK train, you know the pain. Your video call freezes just as you're making an important point, and Netflix buffers and won't let you watch.

Even sending a simple email can be a test of patience. But SpaceX's Starlink satellites are changing that—and the results are impressive.

Impressive Results from a Simple Idea

ScotRail started testing Starlink on six trains running through Scotland's most remote areas – from Inverness to places such as Wick and Kyle of Lochalsh. Such routes have always been connectivity dead zones, but now passengers are getting download speeds of 87Mbps. That's fast enough to stream 4K video without a hitch.

Even better, the latency (how quickly your device talks to the internet) is just 41 milliseconds—currently the fastest in Europe. That's quick enough for smooth video calls and games.

Such impressive growth speaks for itself – Starlink skyrocketed from 42,000 to 87,000 UK customers in just one year, with most users in rural areas where old-school internet fails.

New research shows that more than 60% of people aged 16-35 would choose trains over cars if the Wi-Fi worked. Over 80% say they'd use it for emails, browsing, and social media if they could trust it to stay connected.

That unreliable Wi-Fi is very annoying, and it's driving people away from trains. Driving starts looking more attractive when you can't work during your commute or do something fun on long journeys.

With Starlink on board, passengers can finally join video meetings without embarrassing freezes or stream some movies without buffering.

Gaming fans get the most significant win here. You can now play online games without the connection cutting out every few minutes. Players can access gaming sites like those on specialised platforms. These non-Gamstop casinos let you play without UK gambling restrictions – and it's great for killing time on those long Scottish Highland routes.

Also, you can finally upload bigger files for work and use your social media – which was impossible on most UK train routes until now.

How It Works and Where It's Heading

Since the old train, Wi-Fi has relied on patchy mobile signals. Starlink has changed that; now, it gets internet directly from space. The company has more than 7,500 working satellites orbiting Earth, creating a net of coverage that doesn't care about remote valleys or tunnels.

So, here's why it works so well for trains: Britain's rail network stretches over 15,700km, with 6,300km running through cuttings. Mobile towers struggle to reach these dips, but satellites get a clear shot from above.

The next generation of Starlink satellites will handle 1 Tbps of data, which is enough bandwidth for thousands of passengers to stream simultaneously.

ScotRail started the ball rolling, but they're not alone anymore. Transport for Wales will launch trials later this year. FirstGroup is testing the technology as well. Even Italy's state railway experiments with Starlink on its Rome-Milan high-speed routes.

The Welsh Government backs the StarBws project, mixing Starlink with 4G to cover rural Swansea Bay areas.

For train operators, Starlink makes financial sense completely. Running fibre optic cables to remote areas costs millions. Installing mobile towers in mountainous regions? Even more expensive. But mounting a Starlink dish on a train gets you everything for £300, with some extra expenses for unlimited data.

The benefits now go far beyond passengers. Train companies can track their vehicles, crew members can communicate, and digital ticketing systems work everywhere, not just near cities.

Britain could solve its train Wi-Fi problem before other European countries. If these trials succeed, every journey, whether heading to Edinburgh or a tiny Highland village, could have the same quality of internet you get at home.

For once, choosing the train over driving won't mean sacrificing connectivity. That morning commute becomes a productive time. A regular weekend trip to the countryside won't cut you off from the world.

The gap between urban and rural rail routes is finally closing—and it's happening not through expensive ground infrastructure but through satellites whizzing overhead.