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There's a fair chance that I will be travelling between Düsseldorf (DE) and Poznan (P) frequently soon, using Deutsche Bahn. Since this is a fairly long trip, I'd like to ensure that I can open my laptop and work while on the train.

Is there Wi-fi available for this? If so, is it reliable for work (VPN access, online calls, etc)?

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    Based on my experience with other high-speed trains (specifically Thalys), I would not expect much. But I haven't used the wifi in the ICE specifically so I can't offer an answer in this case.
    – Relaxed
    Commented Apr 21, 2015 at 10:04
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    I have yet to find (and use) a train wifi providing quality-of-service for voip/videocalls.
    – JoErNanO ♦
    Commented Apr 21, 2015 at 10:16
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    possible duplicate of Is there Wi-Fi in the ICE trains in Germany?
    – Dirty-flow
    Commented Apr 21, 2015 at 18:04
  • To understand the reliability of train Wi-Fi you must first understand that it works by connecting to the cellular network. The train antennas are obviously a lot more receptive that your phone, but they can't magically connect to an LTE network in an area where only 2G exists.
    – JonathanReez ♦
    Commented Jul 22, 2017 at 7:50

1 Answer 1

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Wifi is available on the majority of ICE trains (>90%), but it is not guaranteed to work (so you won't get a rebate in case it does not work).

Whether you get Internet on your trip also depends on the route that you are taking. A short search at bahn.de reveals that most likely you will take the ICE between Dusseldorf and Berlin (which has Wifi/Internet coverage) and take the Eurocity between Poznan and Berlin (which does not have Internet).

(2017 Edit:) Internet usage is free of charge in both first and second class. However, your connection speed will be reduced in second class if you generate more than 200 MB of traffic -- every device counts separately here and the counter is reset at the end of the day.

In terms of reliability, it is not bad. However, the connection will be frequently interrupted for short periods of times, which makes performing Voice-over-IP calls difficult.

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  • Thanks for the answer! Do you know if this is also available on EuroNight (EN) trains? That's the type I'll probably be travelling with.
    – Lee White
    Commented Apr 21, 2015 at 13:41
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    @LeeWhite Highly unlikely! Not even the IC trains in Germany have Wifi. The Euronight trains are operated by different companies, so you would have to check the train operator's website. But it is highly unlikely that - for example - PKP Intercity pays for Wifi in Germany for a train running mainly at night (where people are sleeping most of the time).
    – DCTLib
    Commented Apr 21, 2015 at 14:09
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    Considering the rate at which European night trains have been shut down in recent years, I would not assume EuroNight continues to exist at all.
    – gerrit
    Commented Apr 21, 2015 at 15:05
  • Hmm. Bad news. :(
    – Lee White
    Commented Apr 21, 2015 at 15:23
  • The linked map is long outdated. WiFi is available on all ICEs in Germany.
    – Philipp Wendler
    Commented Jul 6, 2018 at 17:51

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