Hyperloop One Reveals Nine Possible Routes around Europe

However, that's only because everyone is past the planning phase and busy working on the full-scale test tracks that will test the technology for the first time in similar conditions to those in the real world. If the Hyperloop actually turns out to be a viable solution, that is.

Hyperloop One is one of the most advanced competitors, with the test track under construction in North Las Vegas, the pod design all but ready (at least for testing purposes), and everything else planned out for the immediate future. Even though the length of the track has been shortened compared to their original announcement, the team is still hopeful to reach very high speeds, even though the 700 mph (1,126 km/h) target might be out of reach now.

This April, Hyperloop One released 11 routes planned for the North American region, including Boston-Somerset-Providence, Cheyenne-Houston, Chicago-Columbus-Pittsburgh, Denver-Colorado Springs, Denver-Vail, Kansas City-St. Louis, Los Angeles-San Diego, Miami-Orlando or Reno-Las Vegas.

This Tuesday, the company did the same thing for Europe, presenting nine separate routes that would the major cities in some of the busiest, most densely populated areas on the Old Continent. Three of them focus on the UK, but others link Estonia to Finland or even Spain to Morocco in Northern Africa. Other countries that would benefit from Hyperloop One's planned routes include Holland, Poland or Italy.

But planning routes from behind a computer screen is the easiest part. Actually getting the permits from the local authorities, coming up with a precise itinerary that takes into account the topography of the land, and then going ahead with building the Hyperloop track - those will prove to be much more difficult tasks. Not to mention more expensive.

Hyperloop promises to revolutionize land transport by reaching speeds greater than those of commercial airliners for a fraction of the cost and with minimal - if any - emissions. The plan is to build encapsulated tubes with near vacuum inside in which magnetic pods levitate, enabling them to reach very high speeds thanks to the virtually non-existent friction.

Hyperloop One had its first full-scale test run planned for the beginning of this year, but the schedule has been moved forward due to some delays. However, we should get something to talk about from them later this year, which would mark a very important moment in the development of this new high-speed transportation method.