Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport first announced an interest in hyperloop technology in 2018, when it partnered with Dutch company Hardt Hyperloop. Since then, it has conducted a joint study, recently concluded, that highlights the role Hyperloop could play in the transformation of Schiphol into a more sustainable, multi-modal transportation hub.
The headline finding of the study is that 12.5 million of the passengers traveling through the airport by 2050 could instead be transported on the conceptual highspeed mass transit system. This is based on a Hyperloop network linking the Dutch airport with other locations in Germany, Belgium, France and the UK, which Hardt projects will account for around 73 million passengers (travelling either to or from Schiphol) over the next three decades.
The idea is still very much at the concept stage and there are many regulatory and infrastructure barriers, some likely not yet realized, to overcome. However, Hardt and Schipol have agreed to extend their collaboration and expand research, while also engaging with other interested parties across Europe.
