Italo Picks Starlink for All High-Speed Trains to Improve WiFi and Digital Services

Italo announced that it will install Starlink internet across its full high-speed train fleet. The rollout will begin in mid-2026 and finish in 2027. Italo said this will make it the first major high-speed rail operator to equip its entire fleet with Starlink.

The company also said the decision came after nearly a year of testing on trains traveling up to 300 kilometers per hour. During the tests, Italo reported speeds above 400 Mbps and low latency of about 25 milliseconds. It also said passengers gave strong feedback and many rated the browsing experience better than before.

Why this matters for travelers and the rail industry

For many passengers, internet access is now part of the travel product, not just an extra feature. People work on trains, join meetings, send messages, and watch content during the trip. If the connection is weak, the travel experience feels worse.

This also matters for the wider travel industry. Rail operators now compete on digital experience, not only price, speed, and comfort. Other rail companies in Europe (ScotRail, France’s SNCF) have tested similar satellite-based solutions, but Italo stands out because it is committing to a full-fleet rollout, not just a pilot.

Italo's move fits a wider travel industry shift toward low-Earth-orbit satellite connectivity, not just in rail. Southwest is also expanding Starlink WiFi to deliver more reliable, “home-like” internet speeds for passengers, showing how connectivity is becoming a competitive feature across transport, especially for travelers who want to work or stream during the trip.

Why train WiFi has been difficult to improve

Train internet has been hard to fix because trains move quickly through areas with changing network quality. Connections often weaken in tunnels, rural stretches, or places with limited infrastructure. That is why many trains have onboard WiFi, but the real user experience still feels inconsistent.

Italo is using Starlink to improve reliability by adding satellite-based connectivity to support onboard service. The company also said this is the first step in a broader plan to expand onboard entertainment and digital services during 2026.

If the rollout performs well, Italo could set a new standard for high-speed rail travel in Europe, especially for passengers who expect to work or stream during the journey.

For broader context, not every transport operator is making the same decision on Starlink yet. Ryanair publicly rejected Starlink for now, saying current in-flight hardware economics do not fit its low-cost model, even as the airline said it may revisit onboard Wi-Fi later as the technology improves.

Photo by paolo candelo on Unsplash