What is hyperloop that can travel at 1,100 km/hr speed and cover Delhi to Jaipur in just 30 minutes?

The project, funded by the Ministry of Railways, was built at the IIT Madras Campus. (Courtesy: X | @AshwiniVaishnaw)

India's first hyperloop, which is 422-meter-long, has been developed by IIT Madras with assistance from the Ministry of Railways. This latest development will allow commuters to go 350 km in 30 minutes. This implies that it will take less than 30 minutes to drive the approximately 300 kilometres from Delhi to Jaipur.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw took to X (formerly Twitter) and wrote, "Government-academia collaboration is driving innovation in futuristic transportation."

The hyperloop project at @iitmadras; Government-academia collaboration is driving innovation in futuristic transportation. pic.twitter.com/S1r1wirK5o
Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) February 24, 2025

The project, funded by the Ministry of Railways, was built at the IIT Madras Campus. Elated with the results, Vaishnaw said, "The first pod of 422 meters will go a long way in developing technologies. I think the time has come when, after the first two grants of one million dollars each, the third grant of one million dollars will be given to IIT Madras for further developing the hyperloop project."

What is hyperloop?

A high-speed transportation system called the Hyperloop has the potential to drastically cut down on journey time. According to a ZDNET article, this new mode of ground transportation allows passengers to travel at speeds of up to 700 miles per hour, or 1,100 kilometres per hour, in a floating pod that glides through enormous tunnels or tubes with minimal pressure.

These capsules can travel up to 1,207 km/h since the majority of the air is removed from the tubes to reduce friction. The Hyperloop's track can be either underground or above ground.

The pods are designed to float on air skis or employ magnetic levitation (maglev) technology to reduce friction, in contrast to trains or cars that have wheels.

How it operates?

Loading and Departure: The pod seals when passengers board it at a station.

Acceleration: The pod moves swiftly through the low-pressure tube when the linear electric motors turn on.

Levitation: To reduce friction, the magnetic levitation mechanism raises the pod just above the track as it speeds.

Cruise Speed: Because of the near-vacuum environment, the pod moves quickly and with little resistance once it reaches cruising speed.

Deceleration: The linear motors slow the pod down as it gets closer to its target.

Arrival and unloading: Passengers disembark as the pod reaches the station.

Benefits of the hyperloop:

• The hyperloop can go up to 1000 km/h, which is two to three times quicker than the bullet train and even commercial aeroplanes, because of its sealed environment, which creates little to no friction.
• As it uses solar panels to generate electricity and maglev doesn't produce noise, it has a smaller civil engineering footprint than trains and produces no direct emissions or noise.
• It generates electricity using its own solar panels and requires comparatively less ground to cover.
• In addition to being less expensive to operate, the hyperloop's capital cost per mile is 60% lower than that of high-speed rail. As a result, the fare may be significantly less expensive than on aeroplanes or bullet trains.
• As the system is completely automated and enclosed, human mistake is less likely to occur.
• Lesser land is needed as steel tubes can be tunnelled underground or erected on a column.
• Any energy source, including nuclear reactors, windmills, and solar panels, can power the Hyperloop.