Overview
- A Class 444 service between London Waterloo, Portsmouth Harbour and Weymouth is the first SWR train fitted with SpaceX’s Starlink satellite system.
- Early testing reports approximately 97% connectivity across the route, significantly improving the long-problematic New Forest section.
- The trial started on 20 December 2025 and will run for one year to evaluate reliability, passenger experience and potential scalability.
- If successful, SWR says it could extend satellite connectivity to more trains, with other publicly owned operators encouraged to consider the technology.
- The effort aligns with Project Reach, which targets eliminating rail mobile blackspots with initial infrastructure builds from 2026 toward full rollout by 2028 and an estimated £300 million taxpayer saving.