Travellers using the S-Bahn in the Rhine-Main region can now surf the Internet for free on every train. Hesse's Transport Minister Tarek Al-Wazir tightened the last remaining screw at the S-Bahn workshop in Frankfurt, completing the upgrade. After just over a year, the equipping of all 194 S-Bahn trains with WLAN is thus complete.
"In conurbations such as the Rhine-Main region, the S-Bahn is the backbone of local transport: more than 500,000 passengers every working day speak for themselves," explained Hesse's Transport Minister Tarek Al-Wazir. "In order to relieve the cities of constant traffic jams and exhaust fumes, public transport must continue to grow. With offers such as the Hesse-wide student ticket, the upcoming senior citizens' ticket and attractive other offers, access to buses and trains is being made easier step by step. But convenience and comfort are also part of an attractive public transport system. Equipping all S-Bahn trains and ticket vending machines, and thus the platforms, with free WLAN is a further increase in the attractiveness of buses and trains. It's not possible to work or surf while driving a car."
"With free WLAN, our passengers can use their S-Bahn journey to work or relax. Working on mails, whatsapping or listening to music via streaming services is possible in all RMV commuter trains, eight regional train and express bus lines as well as at more than 600 ticket vending machines", said RMV CEO Prof. Knut Ringat. "Together, RMV has thus implemented what is probably Germany's largest free WLAN network."
RMV and S-Bahn Rhein-Main had begun equipping the first trains with WLAN in July last year. The RMV invested five million euros in the additional offer.
How well the offer is received by passengers, reports Christian Roth, head of the S-Bahn Rhine-Main. "We have made good progress and even finished a little faster than originally planned." According to the S-Bahn boss, the new service has been very well received by customers. "In the last few months, more than four million mobile devices have connected to the WLAN in the S-Bahn."
Connecting to the WLAN in the S-Bahn is easy. As soon as the function "Enable WLAN" is selected on the mobile device, it is sufficient to select the network "WLAN@RMV S-Bahn" and to accept the terms of use. Then 100 MB per terminal and day are available free of charge. If you wish, you can use the S-Bahn WLAN network for up to seven days without having to log in again. Data protection is, of course, guaranteed. No personal data is collected and user behaviour is not monitored or recorded.
Each of the 194 S-Bahn trains has received a computer as a router for three modems in the last 15 months. In addition, each vehicle has been equipped with three access points and indoor antennas that transmit signals from passengers' terminals to the router, as well as two outdoor antennas to connect to mobile communications. In total, more than 53 kilometers of cable were laid and nearly 72,000 nuts, bolts, washers, etc. were installed for the additional service.
RMV relies on WLAN
In addition to the suburban trains, there are already seven regional train lines and one express bus line with WLAN. In the future, WLAN will even be part of the standard when bidding for new transport services in the regional train transport of the RMV. In order to provide passengers with stable and free Internet access at stations as well, RMV has also been offering what is probably Germany's largest public WLAN network at the more than 600 ticket vending machines since last year.
