Saudi Arabia has announced plans to introduce a high-speed transportation system between Jeddah and Makkah, significantly reducing travel time between the two cities to just five minutes. The kingdom has enlisted the services of Virgin Hyperloop, a US-based company that achieved a milestone in 2020 by successfully conducting its first passenger test. The distance between Jeddah and Makkah is approximately 80 kilometers.
The new transportation system will complete the journey between Riyadh and Jeddah, a typically lengthy road trip, in less than one hour. Virgin Hyperloop employs a “near-vacuum” environment within a tube, enabling high speeds, minimal power consumption, and virtually eliminating aerodynamic drag. Battery-powered pods travel inside the tube at speeds of up to 1078 kilometers per hour. The company assures passengers of a comfortable, quiet, and safe experience. These technological advancements not only facilitate ultra-fast travel but also offer on-demand, direct-to-destination service. Hyperloop has the capacity to transport tens of thousands of passengers per hour in each direction at speeds comparable to airplanes, all while producing zero direct emissions.
Saudi Arabia will be the first country to implement hyperloop technology. Reports suggest that it will also drastically reduce travel time between Riyadh and Dubai to just 51 minutes.
