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Kazakhstan’s trains receive Starlink internet in pilot project

Илон Маск, поезд, Боровое Starlink
Collage by Kursiv.media, photo editor: Milosh Muratovskiy

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry has launched a pilot project to provide internet access via Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service on the Astana–Borovoe Resort train route.

According to Digital Minister Zhaslan Madiyev, the possibility of scaling up will be considered based on the results of the pilot project.

Moreover, the ministry has been implementing initiatives in five areas of railway digitalization: transitioning public services to digital format, reengineering business processes, creating an innovation ecosystem, equipping trains with satellite internet and introducing an online system to track transit traffic.

As part of efforts to expand internet access, testing of the OneWeb-powered satellite connection was completed on the Talgo No. 3/4 Astana–Almaty and No. 67/68 Astana–Ust-Kamenogorsk trains, with connection speeds of up to 100 megabits per second and latency below 70 milliseconds.

Kursiv.media earlier reported that Starlink internet services became available in Kazakhstan on Aug. 13.