Deutsche Bahn is expanding its Internet offering to include train stations and regional trains. From now on, travelers can dial into the free Wi-Fi network at around 100 train stations in Germany and thus stay connected while the train is in motion.
"Wifi on ICE" becomes "Wifi @ DB": Deutsche Bahn is expanding its long-distance Wi-Fi range to include stations and regional trains. First of all, this includes larger train stations such as Cologne, Munich, Cologne and Hamburg. With But Straubing, Trier and Sylt are also connected to smaller locations. in the Frankfurt area as well as in parts Baden-Württemberg the network should also be available in regional trains operated by Deutsche Bahn.
"This Internet accompanies you when you get on the train from the station and from the train to another station," said Sabina Jeschke, the board member responsible for digitization and technology, in Berlin on Wednesday.
So far, Deutsche Bahn has only offered free internet nationwide in its long-distance trains. In the experience of many travelers, however, the WiFi connection can be interrupted more frequently there. In addition, so far, passengers at train stations have often only been able to log into other, chargeable networks such as those from Telekom.
Deutsche Bahn wants a uniform WLAN infrastructure
This shall be changed now. The aim of the group is a uniform WLAN infrastructure so that long-distance customers do not have to dial into a new network when they arrive at the train station. The long-distance train network "Wifi on ICE" is gradually being replaced by "Wifi @ DB", which is already working in the trains. The federally owned group had already announced the project at the end of last year.
Deutsche Bahn is investing around 44 million euros to equip initially 130 stations by the end of this year. Jeschke said it will take a few years before regional traffic is also equipped accordingly.
A lot depends on the network operators
According to the download, bandwidths of more than 10 Mbit per second are possible for the end customer at the railway stations. On the train, the speed per passenger is a possible 2 to 3 Mbit per second. How well the Internet connection works, however, depends primarily on the expansion of the transmission mast along the routes. The network operators with whom Deutsche Bahn is in close contact, according to Jeschke, are responsible for this.
There are still many dead spots. The operators must remove these so-called white spots by 2022. "Then hopefully this phenomenon will be over," said Jeschke.
Pro Bahn praises WLAN expansion – and calls for uniformity
The passenger association Pro Bahn rated the new offer on Wednesday positively. "The railway is certainly running late," said the association's honorary chairman, Karl-Peter Naumann. "However, the technological challenges are also significantly greater." But now the competitors in the local transport sector should also follow suit. "We need uniformity here, and this is where all rail transport companies have to work together so that the Internet is then also continuously available in local transport."
In principle, the railway is open to such cooperation, said a spokeswoman on Wednesday. There are currently no discussions on this. For 2021, the plan is initially to connect several hundred regional trains and buses from the company's own group to the new platform.
The problem with WiFi on the train: heat-insulating panes
For many travelers in Germany, the Wi-Fi network on the train is also important because cell phone reception on the route is still poor. This is also mainly due to too few transmitter masts along the tracks. Another reason is the heat-insulating panes on the express trains, which barely let the signal through. The train therefore sends it – similar to WLAN – via antennas into the train, where it is distributed by so-called repeaters. However, the group is currently experimenting with frequency-permeable panes.