Hyperloop One unveils 9 new potential European routes for high-speed travel

After unveiling 11 potential routes for the high-speed transportation system in the US, Hyperloop One is now announcing 9 new potential European routes.

While it doesn’t mean that any of them will actually be built, those are currently the most likely routes to be among the first regions to get a new high-speed transportation system.

The routes, which were unveiled at yesterday’s Vision For Europe event, have been designed by independent teams through the Hyperloop One Global Challenge announced last year.

They connect “more than 75 million people in 44 cities, spanning 5,000 kilometers”:

“Germany, Estonia-Finland, Spain-Morocco, Corsica-Sardinia, The Netherlands, Poland, and three in the U.K.: Scotland to Wales, a Northern Arc route connecting Glasgow to Liverpool via Manchester, and a North-South Connector between London and Edinburgh.”

Here are some of the routes unveiled yesterday:

Dubai is still the most likely location for the first hyperloop system since the project is already going through planning and design.

In the meantime, Hyperloop one is still working on its hyperloop technology. They released images of the construction of their test track in North Las Vegas earlier this year. While it is full-scale, the length of the track is shorter than originally announced by the company and therefore, it’s not clear if they will be able to achieve the originally targeted speed of ~700 mph.

They are still working on what they are calling their “Kitty Hawk” moment – when their hyperloop pod will reach full speed on their test track.

It was supposed to happen in early 2017, but it has apparently been delayed. Unsurprising since we have to keep in mind that they are trying to create a whole new mode of transportation here.