Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw visited the Hyperloop testing facility at IIT Madras on Saturday and announced that India will soon have the world’s longest Hyperloop tube. This tube, developed with the help of IIT Madras, will measure 410 meters in length and will soon be the longest in the world.
India’s Hyperloop: Fast Travel Ahead
Imagine traveling between cities in just 30 minutes, even faster than a commercial flight. This dream is becoming a reality in India. The country is building a Hyperloop tube that can travel 300 kilometers in just half an hour. The Railway Minister shared the exciting news on social media, saying, “Longest Hyperloop tube in Asia (410 m)… soon to be the world’s longest.”
Hyperloop Development at ICF Chennai
Longest Hyperloop tube in Asia (410 m)… soon to be the world’s longest.@iitmadras pic.twitter.com/kYknzfO38l
— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) March 16, 2025
Vaishnaw spoke to the media and highlighted that all testing systems for Hyperloop transportation are being developed using local technologies. He praised the young innovators who are working on this project. The Minister expressed confidence that India will soon be ready for Hyperloop transportation, as tests conducted so far have shown positive results.
He also revealed that the electronics technology for the Hyperloop project will be developed at the ICF (Integral Coach Factory) in Chennai. The same skilled experts who worked on the Vande Bharat high-speed trains will now work on the Hyperloop project as well. (Also: Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore’s Dramatic Return to Earth: What You Need to Know).
India’s First Hyperloop Test Track
Earlier, the Railway Minister posted a video showing India’s first Hyperloop track, which is 410 meters long and ready for test runs. He proudly shared the news, saying, “Bharat’s first Hyperloop test track (410 meters) completed.”
Watch: Bharat’s first Hyperloop test track (410 meters) completed.
— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) December 5, 2024
👍 Team Railways, IIT-Madras’ Avishkar Hyperloop team and TuTr (incubated startup)
📍At IIT-M discovery campus, Thaiyur pic.twitter.com/jjMxkTdvAd
What is a Hyperloop Train?
A Hyperloop train is a high-speed transportation system for both passengers and cargo. It uses magnetic technology to move a pod through a transparent, elevated tube. The frictionless motion of the tube allows the pod to reach speeds of up to 1,200 km per hour, although India’s Hyperloop system will have a maximum speed of 600 km/h. Reports suggest that the trials for the Hyperloop will begin soon, as all components are now ready.
The World’s Longest Hyperloop Track
Currently, Europe has the world’s longest Hyperloop test track, which is also preparing for its test runs. Experts predict that by 2050, Europe will have developed a 10,000 km long Hyperloop network.
The first-ever Hyperloop system, Virgin Hyperloop, was tested in Las Vegas in November 2020. The test took place on a 500-meter track, and the system reached a top speed of 161 km/h.