Watch incredible hyperloop train of the future smash speed record on mission to whisk passengers at more than 300mph
THE future of train travel is one step closer to whisking passengers away faster than they’ve ever been before.
Following speed trials in Switzerland, a new hyperloop train is set to reach speeds of more than 300mph.
Footage from Lausanne shows the train reaching speeds of 25mph during the seven-mile test.
However, the real thing would reach 303mph, according to scientists, zooming passengers from Geneva to Zurich in just 17 minutes.
It would currently take someone two hours and forty minutes on today’s trains.
The video shows a measurement for what a realistic scale would look like – giving credit to the scientists’ estimates.
The train can be seen ripping around a circular track and tearing through miniature tunnels.
Experts from startup transport firm Swisspod, EPFL Lausanne, the Waadt School of Business and Technology said the system will radically change world of travel.
The consortium said the record-breaking trial was “decisive for the high-speed transport sector”.
The test not only signalled a new benchmark for train speed, but also train autonomy.
Project scientists said it was the longest trip on a vacuum hyperloop course with a completely autonomous train.
This advances the race for fully autonomous vehicles in the future – with cars being the main mode of transport leading so far.
Hyperloop trains run through a vacuum in a network of tubes where the low-pressure environment allows them to travel at incredible speeds.
Its small size makes it look like a toy train, but it’s speed makes it looks anything but.
It is not yet known when manufacturing would begin on the speedster, but successful tests point to a promising road ahead.
THE FUTURE OF RAIL TRAVEL
Meanwhile, another hyperloop is being tested that doubles speeds of the Swiss one.
A floating Chinese version aims to reach the dizzying speed of up to 621mph.
If successful, it would make the trains faster than commercial flights – which tend to travel at an average speed of 550mph.
The 93-mile vacuum tunnel where the hyperloop will run is being being set between Shanghai and Hangzhou.
The maglev technology means the train will “levitate” – eliminating friction as it travels through the vacuum tube.
The hyperloop isn’t the only innovation that’s catapulting the sector into the future.
A rail network could soon be established on the moon that would help humanity flourish in its space travels.
Designed by aerospace giant Northrop Grumman, the “lunar railroad” is hoped to allow for serious and sustained economic development on the moon.
Representatives of the company said: “The envisioned lunar railroad network could transport humans, supplies and resources for commercial ventures across the lunar surface – contributing to a space economy for the United States and international partners.
The proposed rail system, supported by the US Department of Defence, would be able to transport both humans and supplies.
Sun Travel's favourite train journeys in the world
Sun Travel's journalists have taken their fare share of train journeys on their travels and here they share their most memorable rail experiences.
Davos to Geneva, Switzerland
“After a ski holiday in Davos, I took the scenic train back to Geneva Airport. The snow-covered mountains and tiny alpine villages that we passed were so beautiful that it felt like a moving picture was playing beyond the glass.” – Caroline McGuire
Tokyo to Kyoto by Shinkansen
“Nothing quite beats the Shinkansen bullet train, one of the fastest in the world. It hardly feels like you’re whizzing along at speed until you look outside and see the trees a green blur. Make sure to book seat D or E too – as you’ll have the best view of Mount Fuji along the way.” Kara Godfrey
London to Paris by Eurostar
“Those who have never travelled on the Eurostar may wonder what’s so special about a seemingly ordinary train that takes you across the channel. You won’t have to waste a moment and can tick off all the top attractions from the Louvre to the Champs-Élysées which are both less than five kilometres from the Gare du Nord.” – Sophie Swietochowski
Glasgow to Fort William by Scotrail
“From mountain landscapes and serene lochs to the wistful moors, I spent my three-hour journey from Glasgow to Fort William gazing out the window. Sit on the left-hand side of the train for the best views overlooking Loch Lomond.” – Hope Brotherton
Beijing to Ulaanbatar
“The Trans-Mongolian Express is truly a train journey like no other. It starts amid the chaos of central Beijing before the city’s high-rises give way to crumbling ancient villages and eventually the vast vacant plains of Mongolia, via the Gobi desert. The deep orange sunset seen in the middle of the desert is among the best I’ve witnessed anywhere.” – Ryan Gray