How To Get Free Wi-Fi On Indian Railways (Step-by-Step Guide)

Do you know you can access free Wifi on Indian Railways? Yes, it is not a prank. Railways allows you to get your hands on high speed internet for free on most of the Railway Stations in India.

RailTel, a public sector undertaking, has partnered with the Indian Railways to provide free wifi at thousands of stations across the country. This initiative taken under the Digital India program tries to bridge the urban-rural gap by making internet accessible to even the remotest part of the country.

With this service you can watch your favorite movies, listen to your favorite playlists or complete that unfinished web series. You can also check important rail services such as PNR status check, live train running status and Train time table.

Where Is Free Wi-Fi Available on Indian Railways?

Free Wifi is available on Indian Railways at more than 6,100 stations across India. You can access strong wifi connection on the platforms as well as in the designated waiting areas.

The free wifi service is available in most of the important cities, metro cities, state capitals and even in many tier-2 and tier-3 cities. You can access high speed free internet at 2 mbps for 30 minutes. After that, you need to buy different plans to continue surfing the internet.

Another important thing to point out here is that although free wifi is provided on the Railway stations, the same is not true in the trains. Barring a few select trains, wifi on trains hasn’t been rolled out by the Railways because of the high costs associated with the infrastructure and maintenance.   

Steps to access Free Wifi on Railways

You can easily access high speed free wifi at Railways Stations. Just follow these simple steps:

1. Enable Wifi: Once you have reached near a Railway Station or the Platform, switch on the Wifi on your phone.
2. Choose RailWire: From the list of Available Networks, select RailWire Option.
3. Open Browser: Once you click on this Wifi, it will redirect you to a different platform.
4. Enter Phone Number: The platform will demand your phone number and you have to enter it.
5. OTP Received: After entering the Phone Number, an OTP will be sent to that number.
6. Enter OTP: Enter the OTP on the platform.
7. Complete the registration: After verification your registration will be completed and you will be able to access free wifi.

This process is quick and very short. You would be able to login within a minute and you wouldn’t need to install any special application to avail this service. 

Is Free Wi-Fi Available on Trains Too?

Indian Railways doesn’t provide free wifi on trains as a general rule. This was done because of extremely high prices associated with installing the infrastructure, maintaining and servicing it. 

However, there are few select special trains that allow access to free wifi on the trains as well. These trains are:

• Howrah-New Delhi Rajdhani Express
• Vande Bharat Express
• Rajdhani Express
• Shatabdi Express
• Duronto Express
• Gatimaan Express
• Tejas Express

Starting in 2013, Howrah-New Delhi Rajdhani Express was the first train in India to provide free wifi. The recent craze of Indian Railways, Vande Bharat express too, has provisions to provide internet-like services to travellers for free. 

Free Wifi on Vande Bharat Express

Vande Bharat Express allows passengers to sign in and access its onboard entertainment portal. Remember, Vande Bharat Express does not provide access to the actual internet, but to a dedicated entertainment portal that contains a pre-curated library of songs, movies and tv series. 

You can access free Wifi of Vande Bharat Express intranet by following these steps:

1. Switch on your Wifi.
2. From the available Wifi connections select ‘Vandebharatinfotainment’ option.
3. As soon as you click on the network, a “Log in to the Wi-fi Network” notification will appear. Click on this notification.
4. You will be redirected to the Vande Bharat Infotainment page.
5. Click on the Three Horizontal Lines at the Top Left.
6. There would be three options: Movie, Television and Music.
7. Select one of the options and browse from the library shown to you.

You can access the content in different languages such English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. The library is limited but you can find a number of options to keep you occupied and entertained on your journey.

How to make the most of free Wifi on Indian Railways?

Railways allow you access to free Wifi but for a limited duration of time. However, by using it smartly you can make the most out of this important rail service:

• Prioritize your tasks. Use essential services like PNR status check, live train running status and time table first. These services are essential for every train travel and must be given precedence. You can seamlessly check these services at the RailMitra train app or website. 
• Download your favorite content. Since, the access time is limited but your journey duration is long, download your favorite content to enjoy it later.
• If you are on the Platform or in the Waiting Room look for the Wifi router. Look for RailWire signs in these areas for maximum internet connectivity.
• Use Live train running status to find updated information related to the train’s Halt Duration. Stations that have longer Halt Duration could be used to access free Wifi.
• Choose the station with the least traffic to access free wifi. Stations with higher foot fall often have slower net speeds.
• You just have to register once. After registering at one station you would automatically get connected to the subsequent stations if they have the service available. 

Tips to Use Free Wi-Fi Safely

Free Wifi on Indian Railways is a useful service but open networks also pose significant cyber risks. Here are some of the tips and strategies that will be help you navigate the free internet with safety:

• Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to encrypt your internet traffic. This keeps your data secure from malicious actors. 
• Connect to the real ‘RailWire’ network and avoid connection to similar and fake connections.
• Try to visit websites starting with “https://” only as they are secured. It is easier for hackers to access data when visiting websites starting with “http://”. Hence try to avoid the latter if you can.
• Do not share sensitive information like Passwords, Login Details, Credit Card Details, etc when on public networks.
• Disable auto connect.
• Log out from the connection after use.
• Don’t download any file if it is from an unverified platform.
• Keep your phone or any other device, with which you are using to access the internet, updated. Keep the latest version of software installed along with necessary anti-virus and firewall services.

Conclusion

Free Wifi on Indian trains is truly a noble step aimed at bridging the long gap between people who have an access to opportunities and those who don’t. Whether you want to access essential railway services such as PNR Check, Live Train Status or to listen to your favorite songs or stream that long awaited series, this service ensures smooth connectivity without any cost.

Using RailMitra and its services helps you utilise free wifi at the optimum level. Follow our special tips to make the most of the free service by the Indian Railways while keeping yourself safe and aware about the possible risks associated with open networks. 

So, the next time you visit a Railway Station don’t waste your time in boredom. Open your Wifi, Connect to RailWire and enjoy your journey with high speed connectivity.