Hardt Hyperloop, a startup based in Delft, has announced plans to build a 10,000 km long Hyperloop network across Europe. The Hyperloop system is capable of transporting people and goods at speeds of up to 1,000 km/h through vacuum-sealed tubes. The first phase of the project will involve the construction of a route between Amsterdam and Rotterdam.
In 2019, Hardt Hyperloop opened the first Hyperloop tube in Europe, which was only 30 meters long but allowed for testing of all the components of the transport system, including the propulsion, magnetic levitation technology, vacuum, and Hyperloop Lane Switch (HLS) technology. The startup’s ultimate goal is to create a 10,000 km long network across Europe that can transport goods and people at a maximum speed of 1,000 km/h. This would make the journey from Paris to Amsterdam only half an hour long, faster than conventional air travel.
The company has announced plans to build the first route between Rotterdam and Amsterdam, which will initially transport only goods. This route is the busiest freight corridor in the country, and the Hyperloop system is expected to offer significant advantages over trucks, particularly in terms of speed and environmental impact. The project is being developed through the public-private Hyperloop Development Program (HDP), which includes larger export companies, several cities and municipalities, and the provinces of North Holland and South Holland. A government-funded feasibility study is currently underway to identify similar challenges and solutions faced by urban areas in other parts of Europe, with the aim of paving the way for investment in Hyperloop infrastructure across the continent.
