A train speeds through a modern looking station. Everything is white and clean, giving a futuristic feel. The train is blurred due to travelling so fast. It gives the impression of impressive speed.

How Fast Can We Travel? The Future of Super Speed Transportation

ByHayley Frend

Photo by Jeshoots

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Fancy travelling to the other side of the country to see your far-flung relatives for lunch in the time it takes you to read today’s newspaper? How about waking up on a weekend and flying to the other side of the world in time for lunch? Can you imagine any destination on Earth being reachable in just 90 minutes? Just how fast will we be able to travel in the future? 

A hand is holding a small globe. In the background is a picturesque landscape of rugged mountains. It evokes the feeling of the world being small and ours to explore.

Photo by Porapak Apichodilok

Many engineers, researchers and thought-leaders are predicting that super speed travel is just around the corner. But is it? Can we overcome the massive technical and logistical hurdles to make this sci-fi fantasy a reality? Let’s dive in and find out.

Why does speed matter? 

OK, so popping to Thailand for lunch might never be practical, but high-speed travel isn’t just about luxury. There are several compelling reasons to develop super-speed transportation:

1. Environmental Impact

  • Some high-speed transport systems promise to be more energy-efficient than traditional travel.
  • Some rely on clean energy, making them more environmentally friendly.
  • Faster public transport could reduce car usage, easing road congestion and lowering emissions.
  • China’s high-speed railway network has led to an annual reduction of nearly 11.2 million metric tons of CO₂ equivalent greenhouse gas emissions by replacing road traffic.

2. Economic Benefits

  • Rapid transportation could boost global commerce by moving people and goods more efficiently.
  • Increased connectivity could create new business opportunities and strengthen international trade. 

3. Societal Impact

  • High-speed transport could revolutionize daily life, making distant places feel local.
  • People could live closer to loved ones while commuting to jobs across vast distances.
  • Critical healthcare could become more accessible, allowing patients to reach specialists in record time.
  •  A study in China found the high-speed rail network had made healthcare significantly more accessible. 
A plane speeds through a blue sky. Four white contrails extend behind the plane, giving the impression of movement.

Photo by SevenStorm 

Imagine a world where your morning starts with breakfast at home, a quick visit to your parents in another city, then a swift commute to work across the country. By lunchtime, you’re seeing a top specialist doctor in another region, and by dinner, you’re back home with your family. Super-speed travel could make this a reality.

However, there are also challenges:

  • High-speed travel may initially be expensive, limiting accessibility and potentially widening wealth gaps.
  • Building the necessary infrastructure will have an environmental impact that may take years to offset.
  • Political and logistical hurdles could complicate the development of international high-speed networks.
  • Although some high-speed travel systems claim to be environmentally friendly, others use unsustainable amounts of fuel. Many high-speed aircraft are very environmentally unfriendly. A criticism that can’t and shouldn’t be ignored. 

We will explore all these issues and more as we dive deeper into the future of super-speed transportation. Let’s go!

The Evolution of High-Speed Transportation

A horse is pulling an old-fashioned red cart on a cobbled street. In the background is a misty lake. It is reminiscent of the transport of a bygone error.

Photo by Şahin Sezer Dinçer

We’ve come a long way since the days of the horse and cart. And with every step travel has gotten faster and faster.

  • The quest for faster travel began in 1804 with Richard Trevithick’s steam locomotive, marking the dawn of railway transport.
  • By 1938, the British steam train Mallard set a record at 200km/h (126 mph).
  • True high-speed rail emerged in 1964 with Japan’s Shinkansen (Bullet Train), reaching 209km/h (130 mph).
  • Japen made the next great leap when SCMaglev train set a new record at 603km/h (375 mph) in 2015. 

Meanwhile, air travel took off with the Wright brothers’ first powered flight in 1903, paving the way for the Concorde, which debuted in 1976 as the first commercial supersonic (meaning faster than the speed of sound) jet, flying at Mach 2 (2179 km/h or 1,354 mph). However, supersonic passenger travel ended with the Concorde’s retirement in 2003.

Why Did Concorde Fail—And What Did We Learn?

Concorde flies through a blue sky with white fluffy clouds. The words 'Air France' can be read in blue words on the side of the white plane.

Photo by Franz Herrmann

When Concorde debuted in 1976, it brought with it great excitement. The unique planes were packed full of technical innovations. Travelling faster than the speed of sound generates a lot of heat. Therefore, the brakes, wheels and air intake were innovatively fine-tuned to take the heat. 

Although these innovations were enough to conquer the heat, they weren’t enough to bring Concorde success. The biggest turbulence faced in its journey was the cost of fuel. Just to taxi, Concorde burned through an incredible 2 tonnes of fuel. And during take-off, 35.2 litres of fuel every second were consumed .This cost quickly exceeded profit and made Concorde completely unprofitable to run. 

Concorde was also beset with noise issues– travelling faster than the speed of sound is a noisy business. Concorde had not been operating long before the noise complaints started rolling in. And to make matters worse, the shockwave it sent into the air would be strong enough to shatter glass if it flew over populated areas. Therefore, it was soon restricted to only going supersonic over the ocean. 

Tragically, Concorde was also involved in a fatal accident on July 25th 2000. After hitting metal debris on take-off, Concorde sustained damage and crashed into a hotel.Sadly, all 109 people on board and 4 people on the ground lost their lives. Despite its unmatched safety record before then, the public perception of Concorde never fully recovered. 

Watch Concorde’s last flight 

The scars from Concorde run deep. After Concorde, retired high-speed rail travel took over as the pinnacle of high-velocity travel. It is only now that supersonic air travel is being reconsidered, But we must learn from Concorde’s mistakes. Supersonic travel must be cost-efficient, not disturb local populations and make passengers feel safe. Otherwise, it risks the same fate as Concorde- grounded, not because the technology fails, but because the economics and public perception does.

Record Breakers

Fastest Plane

Since Concorde’s retirement, no commercial plane has come close to matching its speed. The fastest currently operating commercial aircraft is the Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental, which can reach speeds of Mach 0.86 (1136 km/h or 706 mph at sea level). Whilst impressive this falls short of supersonic travel. 

Fastest Train

Unlike aviation, the rail speed record has been repeatedly broken in recent years. The Shanghai Maglev holds the title for the fastest operating commercial train, reaching speeds of  431km/h (268 mph). However, Japan’s new Maglev train system, currently under contruction, has already reached 600km/h (375 mph) in testing, pushing the limits of high-speed rail.

Breaking Records: What’s Next?

Records are made to be broken. With advancements in Maglev technology, supersonic aircraft development, the race for speed is far from over. The next generation of transport could push these limits even further, perhaps into realms we’ve yet to imagine.

Cutting-Edge Developments in Super Speed Travel

Magnetic Levitation (Maglev) Trains

The fastest operating train in the world is currently China’s Shanghai Maglev capable of speeds up to 430km/h (268mph). However, this record is unlikely to last long. Japan is developing a new Maglev train and during testing this reached speeds of 603km/h (375mph). Japan’s SCMaglev is expected to be hitting the rails in 2027.

How do Maglev trains work? 

Maglev trains don’t roll along tracks like traditional trains. Instead, they float above them using powerful magnets. This eliminates friction, allowing them to travel at incredibly high speeds while providing passengers with an ultra-smooth ride.

The idea is actually surprisingly simple.

“A Maglev train car is just a box with magnets on the four corners,” – Jesse Powell, the son of the Maglev inventor, who now works with his father.

 If you’ve ever tried to push the same poles of two magnets together, you’ve felt that invisible force keeping them apart. Maglev trains use this principle to hover about four inches above the track, reducing resistance and increasing speed.

Here’s how it works:

  • Levitation: The train has magnets at its base, while the track contains large U-shaped electromagnets. When electricity passes through these magnets, they create a force that lifts the train off the ground.
  • Stability: Side magnets keep the train centered on the track, preventing it from drifting left or right. This gives passengers a super smooth ride, even at high speeds.
  • Motion: Additional magnets along the track rapidly have alternating north and south poles. When the the north poles of the train and the track are close to each other they repel each other pushing the train forward and towards the following south pole portion of the track, which is simultaneously attracting the train. Why doesn’t the train get stuck here? The poles of the track are then quickly switched. Replacing the south pole with another north pole, further repelling the train and propelling it forward. The faster the poles are switched the faster the trains move along the track, like a magnetic conveyor belt. 

Look how smooth and comfortable the ride is 

Because Maglev trains never touch the track, they avoid the wear and tear of traditional rail, making them more durable and requiring less maintenance.

See one in action here:

Whats next for Maglev?

Japan is leading the way with a new generation of Maglev trains using superconductor magnets. The magnets are 10 times stronger than ordinary electromagnets.  The magnets are cooled to less than 450 degrees Fahrenheit below zero, making them strong enough to suspend and propel a train even faster than traditional maglev. 

See how super conducting levitation works here:

The next steps will also include expanding the current networks and increasing the driverless capabilities of the trains. Because they are controlled by the magnets they can be driven completely driverless, extremely safely. The trains all travel along the track at the same speed. Making collisions extremely unlikely. Many traditional rail crashes happen when a train takes a corner too fast and derails. This is impossible with maglev as the further the train deviates from its central position above the tracks the stronger the magnetic force pushing the train back. 

Another step will be integrating advanced computer systems and AI to route Maglev trains efficiently. Speeding up the process from getting to A to B even with many trains running. 

And the hurdle? The same as always- money. Maglev trains are enormously expensive. As is the infrastructure needed. Japan’s proposed system is likely to run upwards of 75 billion USD 8. And according to Chinese media reports, the Shanghai line has been losing money, some 600-700m yuan (90mUSD to 106mUSD) a year. Given these numbers, it’s understandable that many of the world’s governments and transport companies will decide it’s cheaper to upgrade existing rail networks. 

The hype around the Hyperloop System

Hyperloop has been big news for a while now. Mainly thanks to one rather well-known billionaire. You may have heard a lot from him recently- of course its Elon Musk. He suggested the idea for a Hyperloop system, way back in 2013.  But just what is the often-mentioned hyperloop system? What has taken so long and is the idea already dead?

The theoretical hyperloop system combines the magnetic levitation of Maglev trains but places them into giant vacuum tunnels. This combines the frictionless properties of Maglev trains with zero air resistance inside a vacuum. This should allow trains to go even faster. And this isn’t some crazy idea. We know the technology should work.

“It’s within the laws of physics, but hard enough to be fun”  Brogan BamBrogan co-founder of Hyperloop One

After Elon Musk first proposed the idea in 2013 there followed a flurry of activity with various companies springing up to try and deliver the fabled hyperloop. One of the big players was Hyperloop One, which later became Virgin Hyperloop when it received funding from Richard Branson. Unfortunately however, despite huge financial backing, the road (or rail), was a lot bumpier than expected. After the initial highs of desert testing- which led to the first successful passenger ride using Hyperloop (albeit rather short and with only 2 employees) came the downfall. 

See the rest ride here:

First in 2020 Virgin One announced it was switching tracks to focus on cargo transport– not people. This was followed by successive job losses and funding removal. Until eventually, in 2023 Hyperloop One (as it went back to after its Virgin funding was pulled) shut down. The downfall came down to the usual culprit- financial issues. Hyperloop One also failed to secure any contracts to actually build a hyperloop. It seems building giant tunnels across countries and potentially through cities is not easy politically or practically. 

That’s not to say the hyperloop is dead- other companies are still pursuing the technology. Companies in many countries, including in the Netherlands and India, hope to use hyperloop technology to revolutionise travel.

Watch the first successful test of a hyperloop vehicle in Europe below:

Swisspod is busy building a hyperloop in Colorado to test what they promise will be the first full-scale, self-contained hyper vehicle in the world. This means, unlike other systems, all the technology needed is contained within the train or track.

Only the future shall tell if we can ever step foot on a hyperloop train to zoom through a tunnel at superspeed.  However, political and societal pressures will likely mean any successful project may be a slightly more realistic vision than first imagined. 

Whether you’re guiding a high-speed pod through a vacuum tube or steering a robot inside the human body, precision and control are everything. If you’re fascinated by engineering marvels, check out our other blogs, like how doctors are using cutting-edge tech to treat patients remotely or how microrobots are targeting lung disease

While the Hyperloop reimagines ground travel, others focus on reclaiming the skies, this time with next-gen aircraft built for supersonic and hypersonic speeds.

Supersonic and Hypersonic Aircraft

Imagine a world where a New York-to-London business trip takes less time than watching a movie. This isn’t just about speed, it could reshape global business, allowing companies to collaborate across time zones in ways never before possible.

The concept of supersonic travel is enjoying somewhat of a renaissance at the moment. After the idea was put on ice post Concorde, it is once again being floated as a possibility. One aircraft leading the way is Boom’s Supersonic Overture 9. They plan to travel up to Mach 1.7 (Mach 1 would be travelling at the speed of sound). However, to avoid the issues of the Sonic boom, they will only fly at subsonic levels (Mach 0.9) over land. Saving its supersonic capabilities for over the oceans. NASA is going one step further with its X-59. They are planning to dissipate the sonic boom, weakening its impact and allowing it to fly supersonically over land. Both planes promise to be a lot quieter than Concorde during take-off too. 

By addressing the noise issues these companies hope to eliminate some of the problems that besieged Concorde. However, it remains to be seen whether they can overcome the other issues.

Will there be enough demand for these flights? Given the high carbon footprint and also the likely high cost of flying in one of these planes, will customers opt in? Or like Concorde will it remain the reserve of the rich and famous? Now that we live in a more interconnected world in which remote working is the norm- is flying from New York to London in 4 hours such a priority if you can have your business meeting on Zoom? In fact, according to Travel Smart half of global companies have cut their business flights in two since Covid 10. While these aircraft promise to solve Concorde’s biggest problems, will the world embrace supersonic travel again? With environmental concerns, high costs, and shifting work habits, the demand remains uncertain. If it returns, supersonic flight must be more than just fast. It must be practical

Hypersonic Travel

We know we can go supersonic, even if it may or may not be practical on a large scale but can we go hypersonic?? Hypersonic travel means going at Mach 5 or above, 5 times the speed of sound. 

U.S.-based Hyperian Aerospace has recently unveiled ambitious plans for a hypersonic cargo plane capable of reaching Mach 10 (12,346km/h or 7,672 mph) 11

While this aircraft won’t be carrying passengers, its impact on global shipping could be revolutionary. Imagine, it could deliver a 10-ton cargo load from New York to London in just 27 minutes.

Hyperian’s design relies on Hydrogen fuel, which would drastically reduce its carbon footprint, positioning it as a greener, faster alternative to traditional cargo transport.

But Hyperian isn’t stopping there. The company also has blueprints for hypersonic passenger and military aircraft, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in air travel. Though still in the design phase, if these concepts become reality, they could redefine the speed at which we connect, trade, and defend, ushering in a new era of hypersonic innovation.

The race for hypersonic dominance isn’t just an American pursuit. China is making bold moves of its own. In 2024, China revealed that it had secretly tested a hypersonic plane over the Gobi Desert, a test that had actually taken place three years earlier, in 2021 12. The aircraft hit an astonishing Mach 6 (7407 km/h or 4,603 mph), but what made it truly remarkable was its bulky, unconventional design. Unlike the sleek, needle-like shapes typical of hypersonic vehicles, this aircraft was built to carry significant cargo or a full load of passengers, just like a traditional jet.

Why the secrecy? Hypersonic technology isn’t just about revolutionizing air travel, it has massive military implications. With the potential to deliver rapid global strikes or evade missile defenses, this technology is as strategic as it is groundbreaking. As a result, many nations are keeping their advancements under wraps, leaving the world to wonder: who will truly master hypersonic flight first?

Will hypersonic travel become the future of transportation, or will it remain an engineering dream? Right now, some serious hurdles stand in the way.

  • First, there’s the issue of extreme heat. Travelling at Mach 5 and beyond creates intense air resistance, generating temperatures so high that most materials simply can’t withstand the stress. Developing heat-resistant materials that can endure these extreme conditions is one of the biggest challenges engineers face. NASA has developed a new ceramic tile designed to be both extremely light and extremely heat-resistant. More innovations like this will be needed to overcome the problem of heat. 
  • Then there’s the problem of speed, ironically, not just going fast, but slowing down. Hypersonic planes are designed for blistering speeds, but at low speeds, they become incredibly unstable. Their aerodynamics make takeoff and landing a delicate, even dangerous, process.

Despite these obstacles, scientists and engineers are hard at work, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. If they succeed, hypersonic travel could change the way we move across the planet forever. But for now, the race to conquer these challenges continues.

The Race to Break the Limits of Speed—Are We There Yet?

A shadow of a plane is cast upon a map of the world, which is partially in complete shadow. It suggests an interconnected world but not one without issues.

Photo by Lara Jameson

The dream of traveling at blistering speeds, crossing continents in the time it takes to finish a coffee, or even zipping around the world in under two hours, is no longer just the stuff of science fiction. With Maglev trains, Hyperloop concepts, supersonic jets, and even hypersonic aircraft all in development, we are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. But how close are we, really?

We have the technology. We have the vision. What stands in the way? Money, infrastructure, safety, and political will. Every revolutionary form of transport, from steam trains to the Concorde, has faced its own hurdles. Some, like Concorde, fell victim to high costs and impracticalities. Others, like Maglev, remain limited by infrastructure challenges. And hypersonic travel? It’s still a futuristic whisper, promising to redefine transportation as we know it.

So, will we soon be booking flights on a Mach 10 hypersonic plane or boarding a Hyperloop pod that whisks us between cities at record speeds? Perhaps. But perhaps the real revolution will be something we haven’t even imagined yet.

Tonights Dinner Table Discussion

Here’s some ideas to spark a fascinating discussion.

  • Do you think supersonic or hypersonic travel is worth the environmental cost? Why or why not?
  • How might super-speed travel change our daily lives and relationships?
  • What lessons can we learn from the Concorde’s failure that apply to today’s transportation innovations?
  • What ethical concerns might arise with access to super-speed travel? Could it increase or decrease inequality?

Big Family Question:

If we could travel anywhere on Earth in under two hours, how do you think that would change the way our family lives, works, and spends time together?

Looking for more family-friendly discussion prompts? Explore our child-focused version of this blog.

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If you could travel anywhere in the world in under an hour, how would that change your life, and is that something we should be aiming for? Let us know below!

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