take a look at what a virgin hyperloop journey might look like in 2030

following its first passenger test, virgin hyperloop has unveiled its vision for the future hyperloop experience. the newly-released concept video (watch above) takes the viewer through the hyperloop journey, from arriving at the portal to boarding the pod. taking a step back from a dystopian future, the design — developed in partnership with bjarke ingels group — contrasts with a more optimistic view of the future, aiming for a greener, smoother, safer, and more pleasant mass transportation experience.

all images courtesy of virgin hyperloop

for its hyperloop, virgin has worked with partners across different disciplines to design a comprehensive, multi-sensory passenger experience. bjarke ingels group was in charge of the portal designs; teague took control of the pod designs; SeeThree created the video and animation; and man made music was responsible for the score and sonic identity.

‘virgin hyperloop can accelerate the future of mobility on land. the new mode of travel at supersonic speed rethinks transportation and the perception of space, landscape, time, and distance,’ says bjarke ingels, founder & creative director, BIG-bjarke ingels group. ‘in this day and age, virgin hyperloop taking off from our portals provides holistic, intelligent transportation for a globalized community to travel across vast distances in a safer, cleaner, easier, and faster way than airlines.’

‘we leveraged decades of experience designing how people and things move across various modalities – taking some of the best aspects from aviation, rail, automotive, and even hospitality to create a new and better passenger experience that is distinct to virgin hyperloop,’ said john barratt, CEO & president, teague. ‘recessed seat wells provide a greater sense of space, while the raised aisle is a touch of the unexpected and unique. bands of greenery and wood textures subvert the aesthetic of typical mass transit materials with something optimistic and fresh. all lighting in the pod—including the unassuming information displays—are dynamic and adjust based on traveler activity and journey milestones.’

beyond the typical touchpoints in transportation, virgin hyperloop also researched and incorporated findings from more non-traditional interactions, such as sound. ‘we respond to sound quicker than any other sense, so sound actually drives the multi-sensory experiences,’ said joel beckerman, founder and lead composer at man made music. ‘the sonic cues of the virgin hyperloop identity system serves as a guide for passengers throughout their experience while instilling confidence, safety, and clarity — you ‘feel’ it rather than ‘hear’ it. just like a great movie score, it tells you the story. we know when we’ve got it right when you don’t notice the sound at all: the interface is humanized in ways that are both fresh and familiar.’

the virgin hyperloop wants this new form of transportation to expand travel opportunities for the masses. while ticket prices will vary depending on the exact route, a recent study in found that hyperloop fares would be more akin to the cost of driving, rather than flying. ‘it’s simple. if it’s not affordable, people won’t use it,’ said jay walder, CEO of virgin hyperloop. ‘daily high-speed transport is currently not feasible for most people, but we want to change that notion. imagine being able to commute between cities that are currently hours apart in minutes – and the endless possibilities that opens up.’

following successful passenger testing, virgin hyperloop is currently paving the way for the regulation and certification of hyperloop systems around the world. the company aims to achieve safety certification by 2025, with commercial operations — such as those depicted in the video at the top of this page — beginning in 2030.

project info:

name: virgin hyperloop passenger experience

company: virgin hyperloop

portal design: BIG – bjarke ingels group

pod design: teague

video: SeeThree

music: man made music