Wireless Internet connection in Pendolino business class

VR has opened the VR on-train network in the business class on Pendolino trains, giving wireless Internet access and providing more opportunities for passengers to make use of their time during their journey.

Access is included in the price of a business class ticket and does not require a separate network key. In the VR on-train network customers can use the Internet and send and receive email. The service can be used by all passengers who have a laptop or handheld computer with wireless connectivity. Passengers can also gain remote access to their own company networks via the on-train network. Further information about using the on-train network is available on VR’s website at www.vr.fi. VR is developing wireless network connections on trains in cooperation with customers and operators.

As a further improvement to using computers and phones on train journeys, VR has increased the number of electric sockets, and Pendolino trains now have a socket for each seat and InterCity trains one for every pair of seats. Automatically finds best connection during rail journey During a train journey the service uses the WLAN networks installed at major stations, mobile phone networks and Digita’s @450 network.

The system automatically chooses the best of these networks at any particular moment. The quality of the connection may vary on different track sections, depending on the network. Dead spots may be caused by natural obstacles or bad weather.

However, when the train is moving, the system always looks for the best connection automatically. Downloading files such as videos that take up large amounts of data transfer capacity is not possible on the train. Discount on business class prices in January During the Nordic Travel Fair Matka, 21 – 24 January, VR is offering a 30 % discount on business class journeys.

The journey can be taken up until 19 February. To give some examples, the offer price for a Pendolino business class ticket between Helsinki and Tampere and between Helsinki and Turku is EUR 37.90 and between Helsinki and Oulu is EUR 82.50.

The price of the business class ticket includes morning and evening newspapers and coffee/tea with a little snack. The business class compartment on Pendolino trains is located at the end of the train next to the driver’s cab. On InterCity trains, the business compartment is on the upper deck of the end coach.