Report: Wi-Fi no longer enough on trains
September 23, 2026



Wi-Fi has become an expected part of the European rail journey, says Moment – a provider of connectivity services to the travel industry. A report from the company, titled Onboard Digital Entertainment across European Rail (2026 edition), finds that the next phase of competition for passenger experience is already under way. While connectivity is now close to universal, digital content platforms remain the exception.

Based on an analysis of 48 long-distance rail brands across 26 countries, the study documents a clear gap between connectivity and onboard entertainment. Connectivity is increasingly a baseline expectation rather than a competitive differentiator. What operators let passengers do once connected is becoming the next point of contest.


Delivering reliable connectivity on a moving train remains technically demanding as tunnels, network handovers and the physical structure of the train can affect signal quality. This makes onboard content hosting an important complement to connectivity. By storing entertainment and information locally rather than relying solely on live streaming, passengers can continue watching, listening or reading seamlessly, even when external connectivity is temporarily unavailable or unstable.

Films, series, podcasts, press and games form the core of most onboard platforms. A smaller group of operators go further, adding destination guides, learning programmes and wellbeing services tailored to the passenger, according to the route or the moment of the journey.

Key findings

Wi-Fi is available on 44 of 48 long-distance rail brands studied (92 per cent), free of charge on 42 of those 44 (95 per cent)
Only 10 of 48 brands (21 per cent) offer a full onboard platform across their fleet; a further four offer a partial service or audio content only
All three French brands in the study combine Wi-Fi with an onboard platform; in Italy, Frecciarossa/Frecciargento and Italo do the same
Outside high-speed rail, only three of 32 conventional, national and mixed long-distance brands run a full onboard platform (Intercités, ČD and RegioJet), with a further two partial, even though their journeys are as long as high-speed services
The study also reveals onboard platforms are becoming more than a passenger amenity. By creating a direct digital channel between operator and passenger, they can support destination and station commerce, advertising, loyalty programmes and upselling: new revenue streams built on top of the journey itself.

“Rail has reached an important turning point. Over the past decade, the industry has made significant progress in bringing connectivity onboard, with 92 per cent of brands now offering Wi-FI. Connectivity is therefore no longer the end goal for rail,” commented Tanguy Morel, CEO at Moment.