RTA and Hyperloop One sign agreement to connect the emirates

The signing of the Hyperloop agreement. (Image source: bellpottinger)

An agreement to study high-speed routes that reduce travel time between Abu Dhabi and Dubai to 12 minutes could see a Hyperloop ?within next five years?, according to company

The UAE is one step closer to being the world?s first location for a new form of high speed transport, after an agreement signed today between Dubai?s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) and pioneering mobility company, Hyperloop One. The two parties have agreed to jointly explore routes for a transport system between Abu Dhabi and Dubai which will reduce journey times for people and goods between the two emirates to just twelve minutes.

Director general & chairman of the board of executive directors of the RTA, Matter Al Tayer, commented on the agreement saying, ?In line with the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai ? RTA is collaborating closely with Dubai Future Accelerators to support innovative solutions for the future of mobility.

?This is an opportunity to help transform the UAE from a technology consumer to a technology creator, incubating expertise for a new global industry, in line with the UAE?s Vision 2021. With Hyperloop One, we will create a new means of transportation, keeping our region at the forefront of transportation technology and innovation.?

The idea of a Hyperloop ? a low-pressure tube through which levitating pods can travel at up to 1,200 km/h ? has recently gained attention around the world. Benefits include higher standards of safety than a passenger jet, lower build and maintenance costs than high-speed rail, and energy usage, per person, that is similar to a bicycle.

Alongside the signing of the RTA agreement, the Hyperloop One team introduced, for the first time ever, a vision that represents a complete transformation in the way that people travel in the twenty first century.

In less than two years, Hyperloop One has raised more than USD$160mn, assembled a team of more than 200 world-class experts, built a campus in Downtown Los Angeles, a test and safety site in the Nevada desert, and a 10,000-sq m machine and tooling shop in North Las Vegas. In addition, the company has established a global partner network with industry leaders including DP World, GE, SNCF, AECOM, Arup, Systra, Ramboll, and KPMG. 

To see the complete gallery of renderings of the concept portals, pods and systems and to find out more information about Hyperloop One and the RTA agreement, please visit www.hyperloop-one.com.