Following a successful trial at U-Bhf Osloer Straße last year, the BVG, Berlin’s main public transport provider, is set to roll out free Wi-Fi at several Berlin underground stations.
Given its reputation as a start-up hub it is perhaps surprising to know that Berlin lags way behind when it comes to providing fast and reliable internet access. Installing an internet connection at home takes weeks and public Wi-Fi was until this year almost non-existent.
Good news for the internet-obsessed then that the BVG will soon provide free Wi-Fi at some of the larger stations on the Berlin U-Bahn network.
The first stations to benefit from the new service will be Mehringdamm, Möckernbrücke, Gleisdreieck (U2 line), Alt-Tempelhof, Hausvogteiplatz, Bülowstraße, Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz and Nollendorfplatz (U2 line), where connections will be live in the next few days.
Other stations will follow in the coming weeks and months, including major transfer hubs like Zoologischer Garten, Rathaus Spandau, Hermannplatz and Leopoldplatz, but also tourist hotpsots like Wittenbergplatz, Kurfürstendamm and Stadtmitte. The access points are usually in the middle of the platform.
The aim is to gradually offer free Wi-Fi at the largest stations and those where passengers are most likely to change lines. The cost of the first phase is approximately 4.9 million euros.
The service is simple to use and requires no prior registration. To connect, open the Wi-Fi settings on your device and select the network ‘BVG Wi-Fi’. When you open an internet connection you will be taken to a login screen where you will be prompted to accept the terms of service.
If internet speeds are anywhere near as good as the service at Osloer Straße during the trial phase (40 Mbps download and 30 Mbps upload), free Wi-Fi at Berlin U-Bahn stations will be a welcome addition to the city’s communication network.
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