Britain's onboard train wi-fi is one of Europe's worst. This is how people manage

I'm sitting on the 09:00 from London to Norwich and something unusual is happening: my wi-fi connection on board is largely stable.

I can check my emails, message my team back in the office, and have clear audio calls.

In the same carriage, Rebecca Kendall has also been able to crack on with work on her two-hour commute - but she tells me this isn't always the case. It's a story familiar to many rail passengers - but things may be about to get better.

Rebecca, 36, takes the train about six times a month in her role as head of operations for a charity, and spends her journeys sending emails and instant messages as well as using software. The connection can be mixed, and sometimes the wi-fi "doesn't work at all", she says.

On a typical journey, Rebecca estimates she can manage only about half the tasks she would normally be able to get through at her desk. When she has audio calls, she forewarns her colleagues she might lose connection.

"I just wouldn't risk having an important video call," Rebecca says, citing how unstable the connection often is. "I would never plan one."

Many rail passengers in the UK will be familiar with the frustrations of on-board wi-fi. Sometimes it's impossible to get any connection, or the signal will be temperamental throughout the journey. Mobile data can be unreliable, too - especially when trains travel through tunnels.

A 2025 report by network testing company Ookla ranked the UK's onboard wi-fi speed as 16th of 18 major European and Asian countries. Average speeds in the UK are 1.09 Megabits per second (Mbps), compared to 64.58 Mbps in Sweden and 29.79 Mbps in Switzerland, the report found.