The Hyperloop and Venice

Post date: Sep 17, 2017 3:21:49 PM

The hyperloop is a proposed mode of transportation that relies on magnetic levitation and electric propulsion through a low-pressure tube. It is expected to be a highly efficient transportation system, both in terms of cost and in terms of transportation time. One proposed route, a 500-km connector between Helsinki and Stockholm, is projected to cost €38 million per kilometer (roughly $72 million/mile) and take 32 minutes to travel between the two cities when completed. While this might seem like a large amount, it is worth considering that the first phase of New York City’s Second Avenue Subway cost $4.5 billion for 2 miles of subway track and 3 stations. This represents a unit cost of $2.25 billion per mile of track, over 31 times the cost per mile of the hyperloop. The hyperloop is also expected to generate zero direct carbon emissions, making it a highly environmentally friendly means of transportation.

How would the implementation of the hyperloop affect the transportation system in Venice? Due to the high speeds that it would be able to attain—and the amount of time required to reach those high speeds—it would be impractical to use as a means of getting around Venice. However, it could be a convenient way to access Venice from other cities. According to the Hyperloop One website’s Route Calculator feature, it would take 19 minutes for the hyperloop to travel to nearby Mestre from Florence, 21 minutes from Milan, and 32 minutes from Rome. In comparison, it takes 1 hour and 26 minutes to travel to Mestre from Florence, 1 hour and 35 minutes from Milan, and 2 hours and 17 minutes from Rome using high-speed rail, the next-fastest option.

In conclusion, the hyperloop has the potential to make it far easier to reach Venice from other cities. However, in order to improve the transportation system within the city, other methods need to be researched and implemented.

References:

Hyperloop Cross-Section and Travel Time Comparison [digital image]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://mashable.com/2015/10/27/hyperloop-test-track-construction-starting/#RVrFFlbD0sqo.

Hyperloop One. (n.d.). Hyperloop One Facts and FAQ. Retrieved September 14, 2017, from https://hyperloop-one.com/fact-sheet-and-faq.

Hyperloop One. (n.d.). Hyperloop One Routes. Retrieved September 17, 2017, from https://hyperloop-one.com/route-calculator/florence-it/mestre-it/travel-times.

Hyperloop One. (n.d.). Hyperloop One Routes. Retrieved September 17, 2017, from https://hyperloop-one.com/route-calculator/milan-it/mestre-it/travel-times.

Hyperloop One. (n.d.). Hyperloop One Routes. Retrieved September 17, 2017, from https://hyperloop-one.com/route-calculator/rome-it/mestre-it/travel-times.

Nessen, S. (2017, January 02). New York's Long-Awaited Second Avenue Subway Finally Leaves The Station. Retrieved September 10, 2017, from http://www.npr.org/2017/01/02/507898727/new-yorks-long-awaited-second-avenue-subway-finally-leaves-the-station.