Tag: onboard

Ookla: Onboard Train Connectivity Across Europe

Ookla has analyzed country-level train Wi-Fi performance across Europe and Asia, using Speedtest Intelligence

Europe and Asia’s rail networks, long heralded as a backbone of economic competitiveness, are now judged not only on punctuality and comfort but on the quality of the digital experience onboard. High-quality train Wi-Fi has shifted from nice-to-have to essential rail infrastructure. Commuters expect a home broadband-like experience for streaming, work calls and gaming while crossing the Swiss Alps or skirting Mount Fuji.

Where countries treat train connectivity as rail infrastructure and pair onboard Wi-Fi with rail-specific infrastructure (trackside, LEO satellite or both), everyday outcomes improve measurably for passengers. This study is the first of its kind to use crowdsourced Ookla Speedtest® data to benchmark country-level train Wi-Fi performance across Europe and Asia.

Key Takeaways:

  • The gap separating Europe’s best and worst is startling. In Q2 2025, Sweden set the pace for train Wi-Fi in Europe with a 64.58 Mbps median download, followed by Switzerland (29.79 Mbps) and Ireland (26.33 Mbps). Laggards like Spain (1.45 Mbps), the UK (1.09 Mbps) and the Netherlands (0.41 Mbps) featured the poorest outcomes, with download speeds as much as 158 times slower than top-performing Sweden.
  • Legacy Wi-Fi tech drags many rail networks. Across the European markets studied, nearly two in five connections still run on Wi-Fi 4 (a standard dating to 2009), and ~22% use the lower-capacity, more congestion- and interference-prone 2.4 GHz band. The UK still sees over half of all rail connections on Wi-Fi 4, with 38% on 2.4 GHz. In Poland, rail connections remain almost entirely on Wi-Fi 4 and the 2.4 GHz band.
  • Band and Wi-Fi gen matter, but backhaul is the real bottleneck. Within-country comparisons show substantial uplifts for 5 GHz vs 2.4 GHz (e.g., +328% in Germany) and Wi-Fi 5 vs Wi-Fi 4 (e.g., +241% in Germany). Yet countries that feature a more modern Wi-Fi mix and thus drive greater use of the 5 GHz band, like Spain and Italy, can still underperform on speeds. This demonstrates that backhaul (i.e., the connection between the train’s roof antennas and the public mobile networks), not just cabin Wi-Fi, is the dominant driver of performance.
  • Asian rail networks feature modern Wi-Fi mix and lower latency but are not always faster. Taiwan posted the lowest latency and the only material Wi-Fi 6 share (~20%), while Japan and South Korea showed virtually no legacy Wi-Fi 4 or 2.4 GHz usage. Across Asia, typical median download speeds (6-8 Mbps) cluster below Europe’s leaders but above its laggards, reflecting different policy approaches (i.e., greater emphasis on cellular than Wi-Fi).
  • Policy fingerprints are unmistakable and outweigh topographic and demographic factors. When governments and operators treat mobile networks as core rail infrastructure, and invest in dedicated trackside systems, higher-order MIMO with multi-operator bonded train-mounted antennas, and RF-permeable rolling-stock window retrofits, outcomes improve dramatically.

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Aer Lingus Launches Onboard Digital Donations in Support of UNICEF

Aer Lingus and UNICEF Ireland has announced the launch of a new onboard digital donation capability, offering customers new ways to contribute to UNICEF’s vital work for children around the world. Customers flying on Aer Lingus long-haul services can now scan a QR code or tap their bank card on cabin crew devices to make quick, secure donations directly to UNICEF during their flight, in addition to the traditional collection of cash donations.

Onboard digital payments are the latest development in Aer Lingus’ partnership with UNICEF that spans over two decades. Since 1997, Aer Lingus and its customers have raised over $23 million in support of UNICEF’s global programmes – funding essential services such as clean water, nutrition, vaccines, education, and emergency relief for children living in some of the world’s most challenging environments.

With many travellers now carrying less cash, this new digital option ensures donations are more accessible and convenient than ever before. Cash donations will still be gratefully accepted onboard, providing customers with flexibility in how they choose to give.

Onboard, customers will hear a video message from UNICEF Ireland Ambassador, Broadcaster and Rugby Player, Donncha O’Callaghan, highlighting some of UNICEF’s key work and outlining how donations can be made in three easy ways – via a QR code, without needing to pay for Wi-Fi, by contactless card payment on crew devices, or by sharing cash donations.

Aer Lingus will also support a number of special collections on board both its long-haul and short-haul services in 2025, with a special collection for Ecuador to take place in the coming weeks. The special appeal for Ecuador follows a visit by Aer Lingus UNICEF Ambassadors to Ecuador earlier this year, who witnessed first-hand the issue of unsafe drinking water in many parts of the country. It’s estimated that 6 out of 10 children under five in Ecuador are drinking contaminated water, putting them at risk of deadly disease, parasites, and chronic malnutrition. Through this special collection and the introduction of onboard digital donations, Aer Lingus aims to boost awareness and funding for UNICEF’s work on the ground in Ecuador to provide safe water, and hygiene facilities to keep children healthy and in school.

Commenting at the launch, Lynne Embleton, CEO of Aer Lingus, said: “Our partnership with UNICEF is embraced across Aer Lingus, especially by our cabin crew who champion it onboard our transatlantic services every day. Thanks to our customers’ generosity, we’ve raised over $23 million to date and we want to keep growing that figure. Digital donations on board is a natural next step in our partnership, to bring new ways for customers to support UNICEF’s vital work worldwide.”

Peter Power, Executive Director of UNICEF Ireland, added: “Aer Lingus customers have shown extraordinary generosity over the past 28 years, and we’re delighted to see this partnership evolve in line with the digital age. These donations help us respond faster and more effectively to the needs of children who are most at risk around the world.”

UNICEF ambassador Donncha O’Callaghan, added: “I’ve been on the ground with UNICEF seeing first-hand the difference UNICEF makes for children who are facing the hardest of circumstances – kids who’ve lost everything, but still have hope. That hope is possible because of support from partners like Aer Lingus and their customers. For over 25 years, in-flight donations have helped change lives. This new way of donating onboard might seem like a small gesture, but I can tell you—it matters. It really can change a child’s future.”

For more information, visit aerlingus.com