PKP Intercity Opens Satellite Internet Tests to Pendolino Passengers

Passengers on PKP Intercity's Pendolino trains can test satellite internet onboard from today, Infrastructure Minister Dariusz Klimczak announced. The day before, the new solution was checked without passengers on board.

Today the test Pendolino runs between Szczecin and Warsaw. On Friday, 30 October, travellers on the Szczecin–Warsaw route and additionally on Warsaw–Kraków will be able to try it. Stickers on the seats will show passengers that a given train is part of the trial.

"We want Polish railways to be not only fast and comfortable, but also to provide stable internet access throughout the whole journey," Klimczak said.

From first tests to full rollout

At the September announcement of the trials, the minister said he did not rule out making the solution fully available as early as 2027. Before that, it has to be verified on journeys with real passengers.

At the end of September, PKP Intercity reported successful, what it described as the world's first official tests of OneWeb satellite connectivity on a train. On the Kozłów–Warsaw–Tczew route the connection stayed stable even at 160 km/h.

A supplement, not a replacement

Joanna Siecińska, the PKP Intercity board member responsible for finance and business development, explained that satellite internet will complement existing connectivity rather than replace it. It will not be used for the entire journey. The system will switch to it intelligently when the signal fades, so its share will differ from route to route. According to her, the company's systems can identify coverage gaps and "fill" them.

Klimczak linked the project to Poland's passenger goals. If PKP Intercity is to exceed 100 million passengers a year, and the whole rail network 500 million, regional operators should also consider such solutions, he said, adding that he hopes the technology will noticeably boost the number of people travelling by train.