How about travelling from Bengaluru to Chennai in less than 30 minutes, covering 325 km?
IIT Madras, with support from the Ministry of Railways, has developed India’s first Hyperloop test track, which is 422 metres long.
The Hyperloop system envisions transporting passengers in pods through low-pressure tubes at speeds exceeding 1,000 km/h. This technology could enable travel that covers 350 km in just 30 minutes.
“Government-academia collaboration is driving innovation in futuristic transportation,” Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while sharing the news on X.
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 was built at the IIT Madras campus with funding from the Ministry of Railways. “The first pod of 422 metres 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,” Vaishnaw said.
He also said that the Indian Railways will commence the first commercial project once the technology has been thoroughly tested and is ready. “We’ll decide on a site which can be used for good commercial transportation of, let’s say, some 40-50 kilometres,” he said.
