The Indian government is considering plans for the world’s most extensive Hyperloop network to-date, with up to four routes – including multi-stop lines – in the pipeline.

An event in Delhi this week, which was organised by Hyperloop One and attended by India’s Railways Minister, Suresh Prabhu, identified possible Indian routes for the ultra-high-speed rail service.

Suggested by independent Indian teams as part of the  Hyperloop One Global Challenge (HOGC), the routes include a 334km line between Bengaluru and Chennai, a 736km line between Bengaluru and Thiruvananthapuram (via Coimbatore and Kochi), a 1,317km line between Delhi and Mumbai (via Jaipur and Indore), and a 1,102km line between Mumbai and Chennai (via Bengaluru).

These routes would slash travelling times between the cities, and would be even faster than traditional high-speed rail services. The Hyperloop works by blasting capsules of passengers and cargo through tubes at speeds faster than commercial aircraft.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for transforming India and the role he sees of technology in driving this change is indeed remarkable,” said Shervin Pishevar, executive chairman of Hyperloop One. “India is an extremely important geography for developing Hyperloop networks and reimagining how cities and regions work. The Prime Minister’s vision of connecting the country is directly aligned with Hyperloop One’s objective of connecting the world.”

Hyperloop One is currently gearing up for its first full-system test, which is expected to take place in Nevada later this year.

Suggested Indian Hyperloop routes

Bengaluru-Chennai                                       –    334km (20 mins)
Bengaluru-Thiruvananthapuram
(via Coimbatore and Kochi)                        –    736km (41 mins)
Delhi-Mumbai (via Jaipur and Indore)    –    1,317km (55 mins)
Mumbai-Chennai (via Bengaluru)             –    1,102km (50 mins)