ČD, in collaboration with SpaceX, has extended the trial phase of the new satellite Wi-Fi through the winter months, allowing passengers to continue enjoying fast internet access on several routes in the Czech Republic.
České dráhy are the first rail company in the Czech Republic to use the Starlink satellite internet service in a trial operation. In collaboration with SpaceX, the trial phase has now been extended through the upcoming winter months. Passengers can use the “satellite Wi-Fi” on the routes Brno – Česká Třebová – Prague and Brno – Břeclav – Přerov – Olomouc.
“Starlink offers a promising opportunity to improve Wi-Fi availability on our trains,” explains Michal Krapinec, Chairman of the Board and General Director of České dráhy. “We are approaching the trial phase very seriously and want to assess during winter how the system and the roof-mounted antenna behave in snow, ice formation and similar conditions.” Krapinec also emphasises: “The terminal itself remains available to us free of charge. The cost of the data used is only about a third of what we normally pay our mobile providers.”
Since the start of the trial this summer, passengers have already used around five terabytes of data via Starlink.
The installation is carried out on the roof of the train. Cable connections between the antenna and power supply are directly integrated. Starlink is fully integrated into the train’s existing Wi-Fi and multimedia system. The service is solely for passenger internet access and has no impact on the train’s control or safety systems.
The Starlink kit, specifically designed for use on trains, meets the requirements of the EN 50155 standard and other relevant railway specifications, ensuring reliable internet access even while in motion. More information is available on the Starlink website or on X.
