Questions and answers

We receive data signals from several mobile phone providers via antennas on the roof of the train and bundle them into a data stream. This data stream is provided as an internet connection via routers in each train set.

We use several LTE modems with SIM cards per train and work with mobile phone providers to upgrade the transmission masts along the railway lines in order to ensure that the internet connection works as well as possible.

As soon as you have switched on the Wi-Fi connection on your device, you will find the open Wi-Fi network ‘OEBB’ on Railjet and Cityjet trains.

Please check that you have switched on the Wi-Fi function on your device. Many laptops have a dedicated switch to enable the Wi-Fi function.

If your device cannot find a Wi-Fi network with the name ‘OEBB’, please speak to one of our train attendants.

• Please check the IP settings of your device. No static IP address and no static DNS servers should be specified. The IP address and DNS server address must be set to ‘Obtain automatically’.
• Please also check that there is no proxy server configured on your device. No proxy must be set if you want to access the internet.
• Please accept the terms of use on the ÖBB Wi-Fi homepage. Enter any URL, e.g. fahrplan.oebb.at, in your browser and the system will automatically redirect you to the ÖBB W-Fi homepage. After accepting the terms of use, you will automatically be taken to our onboard portal and can start surfing.
• If you have problems opening the terms of use, we recommend that you delete your cookies and clear your cache.

We have made two key changes: we have significantly improved the Wi-Fi technology and implemented an onboard portal with information and video entertainment services.

The Railjets have been equipped with new antennas, routers and servers as well as new Wi-Fi software. Since the internet connection via the train Wi-Fi depends on the mobile phone coverage along the route, ÖBB uses several SIM cards from different mobile phone providers. Antennas on the roof of the train receive the available mobile phone signals and bundle them into a data stream, which they make available to passengers via the train Wi-Fi. This allows passengers to browse the internet over the Wi-Fi system even if their own device has no mobile phone reception.

1,500 kilometres of railway will also have been equipped with 900 new mobile radio transmitters by the end of 2018.

The internet connection on the train is dependent on mobile phone coverage along the route and this is not always seamless. Furthermore, the Wi-Fi must also work in tunnels or valleys at speeds of up to 230 km/h and the available data bandwidth must be sufficient for up to 400 passengers per Railjet train set.

This comparison illustrates the particular challenge of providing an internet connection on a train quite well. This is because a space shuttle does not travel through tunnels or between mountains and clearly has fewer passengers accessing the internet. By flying in open space, a space shuttle always has a connection to a transmission station and the available data bandwidth only needs to be shared between a few people.

There are two major differences between Wi-Fi on a train and Wi-Fi at home:

• Firstly, internet access on trains can only be offered via mobile communications and mobile internet generally offers lower data transfer rates than stationary internet. This is why ÖBB bundles the mobile phone signals from different mobile phone providers on the train and uses SIM cards.
• The second key difference is that, unlike at home, up to 400 passengers can use the internet connection on a Railjet at the same time, travelling at speeds of up to 230 km/h in tunnels or between mountains. Therefore, the Wi-Fi on the train is sometimes slower than the Wi-Fi at home.

We use SIM cards and optimised antenna technology to provide our passengers with the maximum possible data stream in the form of an internet connection. We ask all passengers to make fair use of the service. After all, if several passengers use bandwidth-intensive internet services (e.g. YouTube, Netflix, etc.), this slows down the connection speed and impinges on the browsing of other passengers.

Yes, in addition to a parental filter, websites in the following categories are also filtered:

• Aggressive
• Hacking
• Porn
• Violence
• Weapons
• Spyware
• Warez

Websites are blocked automatically, which is why it is not possible to achieve one hundred per cent accuracy. If you believe that a website is being blocked unnecessarily or that an accessible website should be blocked, please contact us.

Yes, alongside continuous availability of information and entertainment on the ÖBB Railjet’s onboard portal, you can also browse online on all international sections of the route, provided mobile phone coverage is available.

Yes, the Wi-Fi at the station is operated independently of the Wi-Fi in the Railjet. You will therefore be asked to accept the terms of use with a mouse click when connecting to the Railjet Wi-Fi.

The trains are equipped with intelligent bandwidth management. This ensures that the bandwidth available on the train is distributed fairly to passengers. A passenger’s download speed can also be restricted if they use extremely data-intensive services.

There is no limit to the amount of time you can spend browsing the web for the duration of the journey.

ÖBB Railnet - your portal with Wi-Fi, services & infotainment offers a wealth of information and entertainment during your journey on board the Railjet...
Travel information & service

• Journey preview: upcoming stops including real-time information and all available connections
• Map view: interactive route map with the current position and speed of your train
• Services: information about your train, e.g. facilities
• ÖBB TV: selection of exciting videos about ÖBB

Entertainment

• Newspapers: the latest editions of more than 20 regional, national and international publications
• Magazines: more than 70 magazines, covering everything from business, sport and fashion to cookery
• ORF TVthek: the familiar content of ORF TVthek, from documentaries and crime thrillers to plenty of comedy and sport
• fidelio: the classical music portal designed for your musical enjoyment with a different focus each month

There is also useful information for passengers about their journey and their train. They can mark their transfer station and get additional information on possible connections. In the ‘Onboard services’ section, they can find out about the facilities in each car and request the restaurant menu, for example.

Users of the ÖBB app can easily access Railnet via the app menu if they are connected to the ÖBB Wi-Fi in the Railjet.

ÖBB Railnet-Regio - your Cityjet portal offers...

Travel information & service

• Map view: interactive route map with the current position and speed of your train
• Info about the train: information about the train you are travelling on, e.g. facilities
• ÖBB TV: selection of exciting videos about ÖBB

Entertainment

• Newspapers: the latest editions of more than 20 regional, national and international publications
• Magazines: more than 70 magazines, covering everything from business, sport and fashion to cookery
• ORF TVthek: the familiar content of ORF TVthek, from documentaries and crime thrillers to plenty of comedy and sport

By caching the ORF TVthek on our onboard server, we can guarantee maximum streaming enjoyment of programmes even when the train is travelling at full speed and many passengers are browsing the internet. Another advantage is that you can watch the programmes on the onboard server even when the Railjet is in another country.

• Log into the Wi-Fi (name: OEBB) with your smartphone, tablet or laptop.
• Click on ‘Connect now’ to go directly to ÖBB Railnet or enter railnet.oebb.at in your browser.

TVthek on Railnet has been optimised for the following systems:

iOS from 8.0, Android from 4.4, Windows Phone 8.1; Blackberry is currently not supported.

TVthek programmes can be viewed without interruption over the Wi-Fi in the Railjet thanks to intermediate buffering on the train server. TVthek is also available on Railnet on foreign sections of the route. When accessed directly via the TVthek app or the ORF website, there may be interruptions due to bandwidth bottlenecks.