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Virgin’s west coast trains to be turbocharged with 12Mbps WiFi

Virgin Trains is upgrading its WiFi service next year, bringing speeds of up to 12Mbps to its carriages. 

The broadband connection will be provided by a number of 3G phone masts alongside the West Coast Main Line that are 4G ready, enabling even faster speeds once the remaining track side infrastructure is up and running.

While you’re waiting for Virgin’s Pendolino and Super Voyager trains to arrive, you will also be able to download or stream content using the 80Mbps and 100Mbps WiFi that’s being installed across all of Virgin Train’s managed stations. 

Virgin Trains is upgrading its onboard WiFi from 3Mbps up to 12Mbps
Virgin Trains is upgrading its onboard WiFi from 3Mbps up to 12Mbps

Graham Leech, executive commercial director of Virgin Trains, said: “This work will ensure our trains and stations are equipped to cope with the demands of 21st century passengers. We know that WiFi is top of the list of areas where customers want improvement so we’re delighted to be moving ahead with this. 

“From next year passengers will be able to download films, music and other content at stations and stay connected during their journey. It will give customers even more to reason to choose to travel with us.” 

Virgin Trains announced plans to upgrade its free WiFi service earlier this year. It’s only now that details of the upgrade have emerged.

The new up to 12Mbps WiFi service will be rolled out to all 56 Pendolino trains while the 20 Super Voyagers will only get WiFi with speeds of up to 8Mbps. Both currently offer an up to 3Mbps service.

The on-platform WiFi roll out will be completed by summer 2015 and will be coming to Carlisle, Penrith North Lakes, Oxenholme Lake District, Lancaster, Preston, Wigan North Western, Warrington Bank Quay, Stockport, Macclesfield, Stoke-on-Trent, Crewe, Stafford, Runcorn, Wolverhampton, Birmingham International, Rugby, and Coventry.

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