Virgin Hyperloop to cut travel time from Bangalore airport to city centre in 10 mins

Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), operator of Kempegowda International Airport, and US-based Virgin Hyperloop signed the first-of-its-kind Memorandum of Understanding to conduct a feasibility study for a proposed Hyperloop corridor from BLR Airport.

The connectivity may cut back the journey time between the airport and the city to 10 minutes. The pre-feasibility study, which focuses on technical, economic, and route feasibility, is expected to be completed in two phases of six months each. With speeds of up to 1,080 kmph, the hyperloop could transport thousands of passengers per hour from BLR Airport to the city center in under 10 minutes, according to the preliminary analysis. Travelers could streamline their multimodal trip with a seamless check in and security – for both their hyperloop as well as air travel at centrally-located hyperloop portals.

The MoU was exchanged virtually between Sultan bin Sulayem, chairman of Virgin Hyperloop and DP World, and T M Vijay Bhaskar, IAS, chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka and Chairman of the Board of Directors at BIAL in the presence of Kapil Mohan, IAS, Principal Secretary, Infrastructure Development Department, Government of Karnataka.

"As India's hub for technology and innovation, Karnataka is embracing hyperloop as a way to keep pace, support clean growth, and open new opportunities for the city," said Jay Walder, CEO of Virgin Hyperloop. "A hyperloop-enabled airport would not only allow for faster travel times, it would create a 21st-century passenger experience and expand airport capacity."

BIAL aims to make BLR Airport a transportation hub that connects people and places together through various modes of transport. In addition to its well-established road network, BLR Airport will soon be connected with the suburban railway in few weeks and have Metro connectivity in four years.

"At BIAL, our vision is to make BLR Airport the new gateway to India by transforming it as a transportation hub. We are excited to take this landmark step which can catalyze the economic growth of the state of Karnataka and the region. Technological innovation is key to building and sustaining a world-class transportation hub, and this study is an important step forward. This mode of transportation offers enormous economic potential, connecting passengers at unprecedented speeds, with zero emissions," said Hari Marar, MD & CEO, BIAL.

"We are honored to partner with Bangalore International Airport Limited to explore ways in which hyperloop can become a part of the solution to tackle congestion and support economic growth in Bengaluru," said Sultan bin Sulayem, Chairman of Virgin Hyperloop and Group Chairman and CEO of DP World. "Beyond just the transit of passengers, airports are crucial conduit for goods, especially time-sensitive deliveries. A hyperloop-connected airport would dramatically improve the delivery of cargo and create an ultra-efficient supply chain."

"The Government of Karnataka has implemented several measures to improve the transport infrastructure of the State. The commissioning of a feasibility study for hyperloop connectivity from BLR Airport is another major step towards building the infrastructure required to define mobility for the future, enabling the efficient movement of people," said T M Vijay Bhaskar, chief secretary, Government of Karnataka and chairman of the board of directors, BIAL.