Taking the Hyperloop One Will Be ‘as Cheap as a Bus Ticket’

As always the UAE impresses us with one of its leaps into the future. Yesterday, an agreement was signed by the Roads and Transport Authority with Hyperloop One, a US-based company experimenting with Elon Musk’s Hyperloop concept. The Hyperloop One aims to connect cities and countries around the world through high-speed travel, with levitating pods that will be able to travel up to 1,200kph inside a low-pressure tube.

Basically what they are planning to do there is create a transportation network, where a person would be able to order a pod through a smartphone app, then it arrives at their door to take them to their destination, and the shocking part is the speed of these trips.

These pods would be able to take you from Abu Dhabi to Dubai (almost two hours by car) in about 12 minutes and with utmost comfort. Or as Colin Rhys, creative director of Hyperloop One puts it: “Imagine stepping out of your villa in Dubai, into a self-driving vehicle that resembles your living room, and arriving just 48 minutes later at your office in Riyadh. That is what Hyperloop One can deliver.”

And it won’t be as expensive as one might think. Colin Rhys says “You’ll be able to go from here [Dubai] to Abu Dhabi for $6 [Dhs22] to $8 [Dhs29]. I want it to be as cheap as a bus ticket.” Rhys also said that the first Hyperloop system could be built in Dubai by 2020.

According to CEO Rob Lloyd, the plan is to start by building in Dubai, then moving on to other cities, such as Riyadh and Doha, and connecting them. He says that more details are to be announced in the beginning of next year, including the cost of the project and when the construction will begin.

WE SAID THIS: You must admit the UAE makes you feel like checking which year it is every time you read about one of its projects.