GWR borrows from F1 to establish new benchmark for onboard Wifi across the rail network
Great Western Railway (GWR) has launched a 60-day trial of next-generation “superfast” Wifi on one of its intercity express trains, aiming to provide faster and more reliable internet for passengers.
image: Peninsula Transport
The trial adapts technology developed for F1 racing and uses a hybrid system that combines 5G connectivity with low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite signals. This allows the train to maintain a stable connection even in rural areas or tunnels where traditional mobile signals are weak.
The technology was developed in partnership with Motion Applied, a company spun out of McLaren, along with Peninsula Transport, Network Rail, Hitachi, and GWR. Motion Applied has adapted the same type of directional “pencil beam” communications used in motorsport to maintain stable, high-speed data links under challenging conditions. Trackside 5G masts transmit focused beams to the moving train, and when these signals weaken, the system automatically switches to satellite connectivity to maintain a continuous link.
Nick Fry, Chairman of Motion Applied, said that the company’s experience in F1, where data links must remain reliable at over 200 mph, helped design a system capable of reducing dropouts on fast-moving trains. Councillor Dan Rogerson of the South West’s Subnational Transport Body Peninsula Transport described the trial as creating a “digital backbone” for transport in the South West.
The pilot represents a significant upgrade over GWR’s existing onboard Wi‑Fi, which relies on mobile phone data and often imposes limits that restrict streaming and other high-bandwidth activities. Reports suggest that the new hybrid system can achieve download speeds exceeding 120 Mbps, providing a more consistent and faster experience for both business and leisure passengers.
The initiative is part funded by the Department for Transport’s £41m commitment to expand LEO satellite connectivity on UK mainline trains by 2030. If the trial proves successful, GWR and other rail operators could roll out the technology more widely, establishing a new benchmark for onboard Wi‑Fi across the network.