PKP Intercity to expand Wi-Fi service after strong take-up by passengers
In January and February, over 17.5 thousand users used free wireless Internet access on Express InterCity Premium (EIP) trains. passengers, and in February alone it was about 540 people a day. Passengers use Wi-Fi for an average of 53 minutes, downloading 243 MB of data during such a session. In total, passengers have downloaded 4.3 TB of data so far, giving 72 GB a day. The record holder gained over 7 GB of data during a nearly five-hour session.
The first months of operation of Wi-Fi devices in Pendolino warehouses show that the applied system solutions work perfectly well. Passengers willingly use this facility, as evidenced by the length of the session and the amount of data downloaded. The successive Pendolino trains with wireless Internet leave successively on the tracks. Already in June, half of the warehouses supporting EIP category connections will have free Wi-Fi – says Marek Chraniuk, President of the PKP Intercity Management Board.
The first Pendolino vehicle equipped with Wi-Fi was commissioned in December 2018. Access to wireless Internet is currently provided on four ED250 trains (with side numbers 007, 011, 017, 018). One of these trains has just left the track this week. Vehicles are marked inside with pictograms informing about the availability of wireless internet. Additionally, the conductor teams make messages
about the availability of such services on board the train. The assembly of Wi-Fi in all Pendolino depots was planned for November this year.
The Wi-Fi network is currently available in nearly 270 PKP Intercity warehouses and wagons. It has 225 PKP Intercity wagons and 44 electric multiple units, i.e. 20 PesaDART depots, 20 FLIRT  depots and four Pendolino trains. According to plans, by 2023, wireless internet will be standard equipment for almost 80% of PKP Intercity warehouses. Ultimately, all carrier trains will have this service.
