Seoul to Busan in Under 20 Minutes: How Close Are We to a 1,200 km/h Hypertrain?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seoul to Busan in Under 20 Minutes

 

 

How Close Are We to a 1,200 km/h Hypertrain?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Imagine traveling from Seoul to Busan — a journey of approximately 400 kilometers — in under 20 minutes.

 

Currently, Korea’s high-speed train, the KTX, takes around 1 hour and 50 minutes, even without stops.

 

But a new transportation technology, capable of reaching speeds of 1,200 km/h, could revolutionize the way we travel across the country.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/025/0003433718

 

 

 

 

 

 

This futuristic mode of transport is known as the *Hypertube* in Korea, or more commonly as *Hyperloop* internationally.

 

The speed of 1,200 km/h is comparable to the speed of sound, which slightly exceeds 1,200 km/h depending on the temperature. If realized, such a train could rightly be called a "sound-speed train."

 

The Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport recently announced its commitment to developing this high-speed system.

 

Simply put, the Hypertube is an ultra-fast transport system where an airtight, magnetically levitated capsule races through a near-vacuum tube, dramatically reducing air resistance and allowing speeds close to that of sound.

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/025/0003433718

 

 

 

 

To make this a reality, Korea must develop several core technologies:  
- **Magnetic levitation and propulsion systems** to drive the train at extreme speeds.  
- **Vacuum tube construction and maintenance** technology to maintain a low-pressure environment (around 0.001 to 0.01 atmospheres).  
- **Advanced capsule design** to ensure airtight conditions and passenger comfort at high speeds.

 

 

 

By 2027, the government plans to invest 12.7 billion KRW (about $9.3 million USD) to first develop magnetic levitation and propulsion technologies.

 

The Korea Railroad Research Institute (KRRI) is leading the project, working alongside several universities and research institutions.

 

 

The government's goals are ambitious: enabling ultra-high-speed travel between major megacities, reducing travel times across the country to under two hours, and promoting balanced regional development by sharing educational, cultural, and economic infrastructure nationwide.

 

There are also hopes of exporting the technology to the global high-speed rail market.

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/025/0003433718

 

 

 

 

 

The concept of the Hyperloop gained global attention in 2013 when Elon Musk proposed a system of 28-passenger capsules traveling through vacuum tubes at near-supersonic speeds.

 

Musk claimed the Hyperloop could cut the travel time between San Francisco and Los Angeles — a 613 km trip that takes about 5.5 hours by car — down to just 30 minutes, with an estimated construction cost of $6–10 billion, only a fraction of the cost of the high-speed rail project then planned by the U.S. government.

 

 

However, the idea of vacuum tube transportation is far from new.

 

British engineer George Medhurst first proposed a similar concept in 1799, using compressed air to move goods through metal pipes.

 

Later, in 1909, American rocket scientist Robert Goddard envisioned a train that could travel from Boston to New York in just 12 minutes — an early version of the modern Hyperloop concept.

 

 

Despite the excitement, turning this vision into reality has been challenging.

 

Musk initially estimated that Hyperloop could be operational in 7–10 years, but real-world trials have yet to reach the target speeds.

 

For instance, in 2017, Virgin Hyperloop achieved a speed of 384 km/h over a 450-meter test track.

 

In 2020, they conducted their first crewed test at 172 km/h, but funding challenges have since stalled the project.

 

Similar research is ongoing in Europe and China, but no major breakthroughs have been reported so far.

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/025/0003433718

 

 

 

 

 

Korea has seen some promising results. In 2020, the KRRI successfully tested a scaled-down Hypertube system, achieving speeds of 1,019 km/h in a 0.001-atmosphere environment — a world first.

 

Still, significant hurdles remain.

 

Building a full-scale test track requires massive investment.

 

Korea's Ministry of Land selected Saemangeum in North Jeolla Province as the site for a 12-kilometer Hypertube testbed, aiming for operational speeds of 800 km/h by 2032 at a cost of about 960 billion KRW (around $700 million USD).

 

However, the project failed its initial feasibility study, largely due to high infrastructure costs.

 

The ministry is currently reviewing whether to resubmit the proposal.

 

 

So, when might we actually see Hypertube trains in service?

 

According to preliminary roadmaps, Korea could begin constructing a pilot line around 2038, following further research and testing of vacuum tunnel and high-speed capsule technologies.

 

Commercial operations may begin sometime in the 2040s.

 

 

 

 

https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/025/0003433718

 

 

 

Experts caution that beyond technical challenges, safety and economic viability are key concerns.

 

In the event of an accident, emergency response in a sealed tube could be difficult, raising the risk of major disasters.

 

Additionally, with capsules accommodating only 20–25 passengers each, questions remain about profitability.

 

Despite the potential time savings, high construction and maintenance costs are likely to drive ticket prices up.

 

Some even argue that given Korea’s relatively compact geography, the cost-benefit balance of such a system may not justify the investment.

 

Still, the dream of racing from Seoul to Busan in under 20 minutes remains alive — and closer to reality than ever.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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