Can Hyperloops Substitute High Speed Rails in the Future?

TL;DR

This study compares Hyperloop and High Speed Rail in Europe, finding Hyperloop can serve more passengers with higher utilization and lower costs, despite smaller pod capacity, through simulation and cost-benefit analysis.

Contribution

First to examine Hyperloop's potential as a substitute for HSR from an operational perspective using simulation and economic analysis.

Findings

Hyperloop can serve more customers than HSR with lower pod capacity.

Hyperloop shows higher vehicle utilization compared to HSR.

Cost and emissions analysis favor Hyperloop as a sustainable alternative.

Abstract

While the existing literature has focused on the impact of High Speed Rails (HSR) on the airline industry, we believe that this research is the first to examine the substitutability of HSR with Hyperloop services from an operational point of view. A simulation model is developed to compare the performance of both these alternate transportation modes for a network of three major cities in Europe (Amsterdam, Paris, and Frankfurt). Our results indicate that with a significantly lower pod capacity, the Hyperloop system will still be able to serve more customers compared to the HSR services, while the vehicle utilization is observed to be higher in the latter alternative for a given period of time. In addition, sensitivity analysis is conducted to assess the impact of variation in capsule capacity, number of pods in the system, and commuter variability. We further compare the two transportation modes with respect to their estimated infrastructure and operational costs as well as CO2 emission. Finally, a cost-benefit analysis is conducted to estimate the passenger ticket price for Hyperloop services.