Eurostar Chooses Streamriver for Next-Generation Train Communication Analytics

Streamriver, a UK-based provider of AI-driven solutions for transit digitalisation, has concluded a significant pilot scheme aimed at comparing and evaluating competing on-board train communications systems. The tests took place on board trains run by international operator Eurostar. Using the start-up’s Insight Analytics business intelligence platform, Streamriver evaluated the technical and operational competencies of each system.

Passenger WiFi is a popular amenity with Eurostar’s passengers (20 million in 2025). However, maintaining a consistently good user experience on its 51 train sets travelling through multiple countries – and the Channel Tunnel – at speeds of up to 300Kmh, presents a significant challenge.

With its legacy on board WiFi system showing its age, Eurostar is set to procure a next-generation on-board communications solution to deliver the quality of WiFi service expected by customers. To this end, it selected two WiFi vendors to participate in a limited-time technical pilot on board a single train set running between London, Lille, Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam.

Streamriver and the US-based transport technology company Xentrans, collaborated to provide Eurostar with Insights Analytics as an independent, unbiased AI-enabled platform that would measure the quality, reliability, and performance of each solution. The company also collected key operational metrics for analysis, and reports on how each solution fared on specific route segments. Data from the legacy WiFi system was also utilized to show how each solution under test might improve service over the older generation.

“We’re delighted that we’ve been able to assist Eurostar as they consider upgrading their on-board WiFi to a next-gen solution that will meet riders’ expectations now and in the future,” said Jim Baker, founder of Streamriver Labs. “Trains traveling internationally between different countries – using multiple mobile providers for connectivity to on-board networks – present particularly complex sets of data for analysis. Built on our Cortex cloud framework that processes that data using advanced machine learning (ML) techniques, Insights Analytics has been successfully delivering unbiased, reliable results for rail operators like Eurostar, that can notably improve the procurement decision process”.

Like many WiFi solutions for passenger rail, both candidate systems and the legacy system utilized commercial cellular data networks for connecting Eurostar trains to the Internet. Key objectives of the technical pilot were to assess how each solution managed connectivity with available cellular networks; determine whether one solution performed better than another given the same network availability; and identify geographical areas of concern (such as tunnels, cuttings, urban canyons and rural regions) that might impact such connectivity and thus the passenger WiFi experience.  

Through the use of open APIs and other data access protocols, and by leveraging advanced machine learning processes, Insights Analytics was able to ingest key data from each of the three WiFi systems (legacy and the two new ones), conduct metrics analysis, display results in a custom dashboard, and generate detailed reports on a regular basis during the length of the pilot. The technical trial recently concluded, and Eurostar is now able to leverage the detailed performance and comparative analysis reports from Insights Analytics to make informed procurement decisions in the future as a result of the successful technology assessment.

Streamriver Labs will be exhibiting at the BWCS Train Communications Systems conference in London, November 18-19, 2026.

The spread of on-board WiFi services, trackside wireless delivery and the increasing use of LEO satellites to boost connectivity will all be fully discussed at this year’s WiFi on Trains Conference, hosted by BWCS in London (www.Traincomms.com ).

The Main Sponsors for Traincomms 2026 are Icomera, Huber+Suhner and Nomad Digital. Westermo, Hughes Europe, CGI, Unwired and Eutelsat are also Sponsoring the Conference. Antonics, Landtech and Streamriver are Expo Sponsors.

Tickets to attend the Conference are available now via http://traincomms.com/book1.cfm

For more information on attending this year’s Conference please contact [email protected]

The full programme for the 2026 Traincomms Conference can be reserved here: https://www.traincomms.com/#content2b