Italian rail operator Italo picks Starlink for satellite internet on trains

MILAN, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Italian high‑speed rail operator Italo said on Thursday it would introduce SpaceX's Starlink system across its fleet, becoming the world's first major train company to rely on the low‑Earth‑orbit satellite connectivity service.

Elon Musk's Starlink has been expanding rapidly among airlines seeking to guarantee Internet access for passengers, and other rail operators are also testing the system but have not yet committed to adopting it.

Italy's state railway Ferrovie dello Stato ran a two-week trial last year with two providers, including Starlink.

Scotland's ScotRail also carried out a six-week Starlink trial in 2025 and France's state-owned rail company SNCF said it was considering combining terrestrial networks with low Earth-orbit satellite solutions.

Italo said its decision followed nearly a year of testing, and the roll out, to be completed by 2027, aims to provide passengers with stable, high‑speed connectivity for streaming, video calls and work on board.