Imagine zipping from New York City to London in under an hour. For decades, the dream of transatlantic travel through a tunnel in a matter of minutes seemed like science fiction. However, recent proposals focusing on hyperloop technology have brought that dream closer to reality. While still in the conceptual stage, this engineering marvel sparks debate over its feasibility, leaving many to wonder—could the hyperloop be the next frontier in transportation?
When did the idea of a transatlantic tunnel first surface?
The idea of a transatlantic tunnel has been around for quite some time, with the earliest serious proposals dating back to the 19th century. However, the concept has been explored in fiction even earlier. One of the earliest mentions is attributed to French novelist Jules Verne, who in 1895, talked about a transatlantic tunnel as part of his forward-thinking speculative fiction. Later, in 1913, Bernhard Kellerman’s novel Der Tunnel explored similar ideas, which were further popularized when the novel got a live-action movie adaptation released in 1935.
The idea gained renewed attention with technological advancements. It was even featured in discussions such as the Discovery Channel’s Extreme Engineering series, whose third episode, released in 2003, discussed a theoretical tunnel that would span the Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe possibly for the purpose of mass transit.
While the idea of a transatlantic tunnel has existed for some time, challenges related to scale, cost, and practical utility have consistently stalled its progress. Recently, however, new proposals have emerged, offering detailed insights into the tunnel’s travel time, projected expenses, and estimated construction timeline, reigniting discussions about its feasibility and potential impact.
Everything we know so far about the proposed $20 trillion transatlantic tunnel
Cost and Travel Time
The new proposal for a tunnel connecting the United States and the United Kingdom beneath the Atlantic Ocean comes with a staggering projected cost of £15.5 trillion, or approximately $19.8 trillion. Despite this enormous price tag, the potential benefits are immense.
Currently, a flight between New York and London takes around eight hours, but the proposed tunnel would drastically reduce this travel time to just 54 minutes. Additionally, the tunnel would provide a more environmentally friendly alternative to air travel, which helps justify the significant investment required for its construction.
While the promise of greater efficiency and reduced environmental impact positions this tunnel as a potential game-changer, its immense cost remains a substantial hurdle.
The Technology
Recent advancements in vacuum tube technology have significantly increased the feasibility of the transatlantic tunnel concept. By creating a vacuum environment within the tunnel and using pressurized vehicles, trains could theoretically reach speeds exceeding 3,000 mph. This would enable a journey between London and New York in just under an hour, a dramatic reduction in travel time compared to conventional transportation.
The key to this speed lies in the absence of air resistance inside the tunnel, allowing trains to travel much faster than traditional high-speed trains. This concept, which has gained traction in the field of transportation, is known as the “hyperloop.”
The idea of vacuum-powered trains was popularized by Elon Musk, who published a paper in 2013 proposing the use of vacuum environments to reduce air resistance, enhancing efficiency and speed. Since then, hyperloop technology has garnered significant attention, with ongoing trials in countries like India and China, where plans are in place to incorporate it into national high-speed rail networks.
The Design
Currently, there is no definitive design for the transatlantic tunnel, with several concepts being explored. Some proposals envision the tunnel running beneath the ocean floor, while others suggest building it on stilts above the water. A particularly innovative idea includes creating a floating tunnel, suspended by cables anchored to the ocean floor, providing a unique solution to the engineering challenges of such a monumental project. Each proposal presents its own set of technical, financial, and logistical hurdles, leaving the tunnel’s final design still very much up in the air.
Construction Timeline
Given the vast distance of over 3,000 miles between New York City and London, constructing a transatlantic tunnel would take several years, if not decades. For context, the 23.5-mile Channel Tunnel between England and France took six years to complete and required extensive resources and planning. If a similar construction speed were applied to the 3,000-mile gap between the U.S. and the U.K., the construction timeline would stretch to a whopping 782 years. This highlights the immense logistical, financial, and technological challenges that such a tunnel would face.