Czech Railways is venturing into space – at least when it comes to the internet: a Starlink satellite dish has been installed on an InterPanter train for the first time. SpaceX’s technology will offer passengers stable, high-speed Wi-Fi even on difficult routes in the future.
A glimpse into the future of travel: a few days ago in Brno-Maloměřice, a Starlink satellite dish was successfully installed on an InterPanter unit operated by Czech Railways (České dráhy) for the first time. The installation was carried out by the Škoda Group. High-speed internet access via SpaceX’s satellite network is expected to be used on selected routes such as Brno–Prague and Brno–Olomouc in the near future.
‘We see satellite internet as a promising solution for providing stable and fast internet even in areas where the mobile signal has been weak until now,’ says Michal Krapinec, Director General of Czech Railways. Extensive testing with passengers is now planned for the next three months. The stability, performance and benefits for passengers will be comprehensively evaluated. If the technology proves successful, negotiations will be held with Starlink to equip a wider range of the train fleet.
The project is being implemented in cooperation with the Škoda Group, AMiT Transportation, ČD-Telematika, and the Czech Telecommunications Office. The latter is also responsible for the technical evaluation and direct comparison between Starlink and existing mobile networks. The necessary operating licence for the test run with passengers has been granted by the Railway Authority.
The antenna is installed on the roof of an end car and is both winter- and heat-resistant thanks to a heated system – up to 70 °C, according to the manufacturer. The connection to the on-board Wi-Fi is seamless: passengers continue to log in via the familiar ‘ČD Wi-Fi’, and internet access remains free of charge. Starlink is used exclusively to provide internet access to passengers – the train’s safety-related systems remain unaffected.
Starlink, a SpaceX project, offers low-latency broadband internet worldwide and was developed specifically for use in challenging environments – such as on trains. The technology used meets all relevant railway standards, including EN 50155. More information is available on the Starlink website or on Network X.
