Switzerland to test ‘hyperloop’ train technologies
The 3-km section at Collombey-Muraz, canton Valais, will test ultra-high-speed vacuum ground transportation and magnetic levitation technologies
Eurotube
An industrial zone in canton Valais has been chosen as the first European site to test a high-speed "hyperloop" transport system. A test track is due to be built at Collombey-Muraz next year.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone SDA/sb
Português
pt
Suíça vai testar tecnologias de trem “supersônico”
“EuroTube External linkis entering into a partnership with the SBB to build a three-kilometre research facility and a test section for high-speed vacuum transport in Valais,” EuroTube and the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) said in a statement External linkon Thursday.
Hyperloop experimental high-speed transportation systems involve sending magnetic passenger pods through a vacuum tube at the speed of sound. SBB said the hyperloop is designed to travel at speeds of up to 1100 km/per hour, but “the Collombey-Muraz test and research section will be designed for speeds of up to 900 km/h”.
Collombey-Muraz was chosen because it offers “very flat [terrain] and with very few obstacles”.
The SBB hopes the test track will provide “important insights into the construction and operation of this potentially high-capacity transport mode”.
In Europe, there are currently no hyperloop test sections, while a few exist in other parts of the world. In the US, Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceXExternal link and co-founder of the car firm Tesla, launched in 2015 an annual Hyperloop Pod CompetitionExternal link in California aimed at revolutionizing transport systems. This summer, a team from the Swiss federal institute of technology Lausanne (EPFL) won third place in the competition with their “EPFLoop” pod.
A similar project to the hyperloop technology — a magnetic levitation train known as the SwissmetroExternal link that would have traveled through tunnels beneath Switzerland – was discussed decades ago but was ultimately abandoned.
Popular Stories
More
Demographics
Flat-hunting in Switzerland’s cheapest and most expensive municipalities
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Ex-employee of Bank Pictet convicted of money laundering
This content was published on
The Geneva-based bank Pictet has been fined CHF2 million for shortcomings in its organisation which enabled a former asset manager to commit serious money laundering.
20 Minuten: last Swiss free daily to stop being printed
This content was published on
From the end of the year, there will no longer be a daily free newspaper in Switzerland: the TX Group is discontinuing the print version of "20 Minuten". Up to 80 full-time positions are to be cut in the editorial and publishing departments.
This content was published on
The Swiss population is in favour of compulsory military service and closer ties with NATO. These are the findings of the "Security 2025" study.
Irregular migration to Switzerland halves year-on-year
This content was published on
Irregular migration to Switzerland has decreased significantly. The figures from January to May show that only half as many illegal stays were recorded compared to the same period last year.
This content was published on
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is to cut around 3,500 jobs as a result of financial cuts linked in particular to US decisions. Hundreds of temporary contracts will also be cut, the UN agency said in Geneva on Monday.
Swiss government to help cantons in expelling rejected asylum-seekers
This content was published on
The federal government is to provide greater relief and support to the cantons when it comes to deporting people who are not entitled to asylum in Switzerland.
This content was published on
One in four people in Switzerland feels stressed often or almost always. Among the under-30s, the figure is as high as 40%.
This content was published on
The permafrost in the Swiss Alps is thawing faster and faster. The thawed top layers of permafrost have never been as thick as they were last year. This is shown by the latest data from the Swiss permafrost monitoring network Permos.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Are super-fast Swiss railway plans gaining momentum?
This content was published on
Businessman and creative whirlwind Elon Musk wants to revolutionise transportation with a super-fast system that sends magnetic passenger pods through a vacuum tube at the speed of sound. But the futuristic concept isn’t entirely new to Switzerland.
This content was published on
A team from the Swiss federal institute of technology Lausanne (EPFL) has won third place in Elon Musk’s “Hyperloop Pod Competition” in California.
Swiss students reveal prototype for experimental hyperloop
This content was published on
The Swiss pod, named Escher after the 19th century Swiss entrepreneur Alfred Escher, was unveiled at ETHZ at a ceremony on Thursday. It will be among 27 pods assembled by university students from around the world vying to be the fastest on a 1.25km track built by SpaceX in Hawthorne California. Escher was selected from…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.