Eurostar trains wi-fi

[Gadget88]

I'm going to Brussels and Paris which line tends to get the newer trains as i read the old rolling stock has no wi-fi?

Also has any of the old ones had a refit yet?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

More chance of a 374 to Paris but they have now started running to Bruxelles as well.

There are definitely two, possibly three now, refurbished 373s in traffic.

 

[Gadget88]

Cool do they plan on replacing all the trains with 374's eventually or will the 373 stay?

 

[D365]

Eight 373s are being refurbished and will remain.

 

[Hadders]

The interior of a class 374 is awful. Harsh lighting, all white plastic interior, hardly any leg room (Ryanair has more...), seat back tables that are unusable as your legs get in the way of them.

They are the Eurostar equivalent of the class 700s. Not really suitable for a flagship international journey.

 

[Polarbear]

The Wi-Fi availability is patchy on Eurostar, especially between the French side of the tunnel & Paris, other than around Lille.

 

[Gordon]

On my Brussels train which I took to Lille the other week for the Trainsmania model show, the chef de train 'proudly' announced that we were on board one of the original Eurostar sets so there would be no WiFi

Didn't worry me as I don't mind the old versions of things...




.

 

[Gordon]

The interior of a class 374 is awful.

They are the Eurostar equivalent of the class 700s. Not really suitable for a flagship international journey.

Haven't been on one yet. I shudder to think what they are like if they are like the tinny uncomfortable 700s


.

 

[island]

I much prefer 373s. The seats are thicker and more pleasant.

 

[30907]

Just had a 374 from Brussels at 1456, and another was on 1656.

Wifi was even patchier than their website admits.

Ride was harsh and there were lots of rattles from panels etc.

Travelled in Std Premier this time so difficult to compare ambience with 373 Std.

 

[Gordon]

On my Brussels train which I took to Lille the other week for the Trainsmania model show, the chef de train 'proudly' announced that we were on board one of the original Eurostar sets so there would be no WiFi
.

Should also have pointed out that another 373 on the return called at Lille Europe, picked me up and left, whilst in an adjacent platform, a 374 was being declared a failure...with the passengers being de-trained looking longingly at a train that was going to leave them behind in France, but that they couldn't get at!


.

 

[jon0844]

Wi-Fi is pretty terrible, or should I say the external connection (I haven't really used the onboard entertainment system but assume that works well) which is what most people are after.

There are maps showing how bad cellular coverage is, which of course also impacts you using your own phone, and I am surprised France has such poor coverage. In the UK, we're close to getting almost 100% geographic coverage (by 2020) which is going to be quite incredible. And it's at a frequency that should mean rail users here get coverage almost all the time.

 

[Gadget88]

I enjoyed my trip got the new trains.

Found wi-fi a bit patchy but not too bad.

 

[johnnychips]

I enjoyed my trip got the new trains.

Found wi-fi a bit patchy but not too bad.

Agree - was not expecting much after what I read on here but it was OK. Wifi not wonderful though.

 

[jon0844]

It's not really the Wi-Fi bit, rather the external connection. Very bad in a lot of France, and quite surprising as France has pretty good mobile coverage these days. It's also quite poor in some parts of Kent.

Must be the choice of network(s) Eurostar has gone with. It's clearly known as they have maps showing where they expect Wi-Fi to be poor, and it's quite accurate. The problem is the map shows large parts of the route as being poor. I am sure it could be better.

 

[Dougal2345]

The interior of a class 374 is awful. Harsh lighting, all white plastic interior, hardly any leg room (Ryanair has more...), seat back tables that are unusable as your legs get in the way of them.

They are the Eurostar equivalent of the class 700s. Not really suitable for a flagship international journey.

Don't like the very high seat backs either... Leave one feeling fenced in...

My one trip in a refurbished 373, in Standard Premier, left me very impressed though, a lovely open and comfortable interior... On my rare Eurostar journeys I always hope for one of those again...

 

[gazthomas]

As roaming is free in the EU/EC now I would suggest you use the data on your phone

 

[jon0844]

As roaming is free in the EU/EC now I would suggest you use the data on your phone

I do, but the coverage issues that affect the Eurostar also affect roamers as since June 15th, most networks have made arrangements with foreign operators to carry traffic at better rates than the wholesale rates the EU mandated.

As such, many users may find they can no longer roam on any network and can only be allowed access to one.

 

[Class455]

Just had a Class 374 from Paris to London. The train itself is brilliant and comfortable, but the wifi is absolutely shocking! You cannot even use apps such as Netflix, Snapchat, Instagram, internet games such as Clash Royale and others and web pages take forever to load. It works better the other side of the channel but since the roaming charges have been lifted I had to end up using my mobile data. I thought it would be just a case of a set with dodgy wifi but both the sets I had had such poor wifi!

 

[johnnychips]

Please can I admit to being absolutely thick about technology and ask where the wifi or your 3G/4G data come from, and if it has anything to do with the phone signal? Any answers gratefully received!

 

[Abpj17]

Wi-Fi is pretty terrible, or should I say the external connection (I haven't really used the onboard entertainment system but assume that works well) which is what most people are after.

There are maps showing how bad cellular coverage is, which of course also impacts you using your own phone, and I am surprised France has such poor coverage. In the UK, we're close to getting almost 100% geographic coverage (by 2020) which is going to be quite incredible. And it's at a frequency that should mean rail users here get coverage almost all the time.

I'm not sure what is quite so surprising. The UK and France have broadly the same size populations, but France is over twice the size in terms of area. The economies of scale are significantly less and population density is lower. And TGV lines aren't always near population centres.

 

[jon0844]

EE will have 95% geographic coverage by 2020, and I would expect many countries to be planning similar - especially given the need to have plans in place for 5G.

 

[island]

Just had a Class 374 from Paris to London. The train itself is brilliant and comfortable, but the wifi is absolutely shocking! You cannot even use apps such as Netflix, Snapchat, Instagram, internet games such as Clash Royale and others and web pages take forever to load. It works better the other side of the channel but since the roaming charges have been lifted I had to end up using my mobile data. I thought it would be just a case of a set with dodgy wifi but both the sets I had had such poor wifi!

The wifi is not designed to accommodate several hundred passengers streaming or downloading loads of images. It ultimately relies on a cellular data connection just like your phone, but the connection is being shared.