I may have to go down to Florence on Monday, a long drive or perhaps a train ride. Can you go online nowadays on the express trains?

I did read something about a pilot for 1st class with wifi but I don't thing it's happening yet.

What about a good old fashioned book?

Travelling First Class will let you access the Hotspot WiFi connections available at certain train stops. The problem is that you loose the connection as soon as the train pulls out of those particular train stations, which means you will have internet access anywhere from 2 to 5 minutes (at least that is what I experienced during my last train trip from Zurich to Geneva).

Hi all,

Do you know if there have been any developments with internet access on trains in Switzerland since the last post in 2006?

Chester

I think it's still in the test phase in Switzerland.

I have been using the wireless Internet service Mobile Unlimited from Swisscom, it connects to the Internet basically anywhere my mobile phone works. I haven't had the chance to use it on a train yet but I don't see why it wouldn't work any less than the phone does. Maybe if I have time tomorrow I'll jump on the train with my laptop and give it a try.

Here's a picture of the modem that I got from Swisscom:



Swisscom offers data transmission with these technologies:

HSPA up to 7,2 Mbit/s
UMTS up to 384 Kbit/s
EDGE up to 256 Kbit/s
GPRS up to 53,6 Kbit/s
Public WLAN up to 2 Mbit/s
WLAN up to 54 Mbit/s

With the following coverage % in Switzerland:

99.8 % EDGE/GPRS
90 % UMTS
45 % HSPA (90% until the middle of 2008)
PWLAN > 1000 hotspots

The Hotspots are cool because you don't even need to use the modem if you have wireless built into your Laptop already. Even with the modem I was really surprised to see download speeds comparable to DSL lines.

Hi!

I am using Swisscoms "mobile unlimited" nearly every day on the train from Zurich to Berne and it works fine (over UMTS). I do not have the USB thing but one of those PCMCIA cards for my notebook.
Not like at home, but good enough to browse for fun or write some email...

Cheers,

Chris

I believe that Chester was referring to wifi internet access on trains without needing UMTS or extra equipment (apart from a wireless modem, of course). For example, on some ICE lines in Germany, the train itself is the hotspot, and access to it is the same (i think) as accessing any other Deutsche Telekom hotspot. This sort of service is only slowly spreading throughout the German high-speed rail network and is still in test stages on Swiss trains.

Hi Everyone,

Im happy to learn about both internet access on trains and wifi access as I am still thinking about moving over to the live in the Chablais region and commute into Geneva on the train.

Thank you everyone

Chester

you have internet with hot spot in the train at the station only.. but in the cars is a receiver that give a better signal when you have a card from swisscom or sunrise...

the problem might be that if you travel internationally, you'll be charged a stupendous amount of money for data once you leave your own provider's network.

yes this is so... but i know swisscom have a europe buisnesscard.. and when ist's so importend that you can use the internet is the money a small post

if your employer thinks it's vital for you to have internet on the train then yes, he should provide you with some sort of business data subscription.

But I have the feeling the OP will have to pay for the connection himself.
Swisscom has a world data option bundled with its data-pseudo-flats. I have the 1.5gb version myself. However, that doesn't include any data whatsoever - it's just a tad cheaper when you're abroad - but still 3 Fr. per mb!

Today Le Temps has a short but sharp article Internet et les CFF, ça fait deux (Internet and CFF don't mix). The conclusion: My translation:

I think the problem for the rail company is that they are fighting for a market which is occupied by some big players; offering first class passengers internet access would have to be free to succeed - otherwise the people in first (like me right now) will be using other solutions to get online - and those solutions, although they cost, work elsewhere other than the train.

Whilst I see free wifi in hotels as something mandatory, on trains I think it's not so important.

There was just an article in the 20min. today (sorry story only in German) how Swisscom is installing Internet Hotspots in 75 first class train cars beginning with trains running between Zurich and Bern. It wont be free as it's part of thier Take-n-Surf service with daily or monthly accounts (1.5 or 5 gb per mo.) available.

just yesterday I actually completed a questionnaire about this on the same train from which I posted my contribution.

to summarise, if the rail company offers this service, it would appear to be priced at 6 francs per hour. They were also gleaning interest at to people who might want to pay 95 francs per month to have a permanent seat reservation on the trains of their choice. I assume that's based upon your designated routes and certain constraints.

My reply was WLAN on the train is very important - but my response to paying 6 francs an hour was an absolute NO. Same goes for the hotel I've been in for two days - absolute cheek for a 4* hotel to charge for internet (in my opinion).

They charge for the Internet in hotels because they know if the Internet was free everyone would then use services like Skype to avoid the over priced telephone rates the hotel charges.

Or keep people from ordering certain movies, when people could get such things from the internet.

of course the hotels haven't heard of this newfangled gizmo called the cellphone...