Network coverage in train stations

I don’t know of any complete interruptions at train stations, but during rush hour in Basel, Bern and ZH I’ve seen the speed on the arriving train drop to just 1 - 2 Mbps. If you pull into a crowded station on a crowded train, that’s the absolute worst case scenario.

That would certainly be an interesting test case for the annual Connect test.

hed

I have been there for the last two years and will soon be traveling from Interlaken to Bern every day again.

The experiences I’ve had are actually mixed…

• Depending on the train model, the speed is always different
  • BLS Regio trains from Stalder deliver almost the highest speed - you can surf well at 80 Mpbs.
  • The Bombardier tilting trains (EC) and the old EC’s (with leather headrest) also provide a good speed of around 60 Mbps
  • The old IC2000s give me around 30 Mpbs in the “lowered” car and around 15 Mbps in the double-decker car
• However, this also differs depending on the speed, the faster the slower it usually means when you ask Swisscom or SBB.
• Local network coverage also plays an important role - on the Interlaken -> Bern route you have good network coverage, except where you don’t get particularly great coverage even on foot: at the federal companies in Thun after the train station and through Münsigen.

The speed at the train stations can also vary depending on the location and time. At open stations this is usually not a big deal. Train stations like Bern or Basel cause a little more problems because they are somewhat complicated. In Zurich the expansion should actually be good enough to function perfectly - but I don’t know what it looks like with the underground train station or the one at ZRH…

However, as can also be seen in the OLD graphic from Swisscom, this varies depending on the time of day and the “rush of visitors”. In the morning at 5:00 a.m. there aren’t as many people “connected to an antenna” as there are at 11:00 a.m….

Just remember - most train stations these days also offer free WiFi that you can use. You can then connect to VPN and be safe again. So you can make calls, text messages or surf there again.