The term hyperloop describes a high-speed transportation system that can transport passengers and goods over long distances. For this purpose, electrically operated transport capsules in vacuum tubes are accelerated to cruising speeds of up to 1,100 kilometers per hour in the future.

In 2020, TÜV SÜD worked in cooperation with Hyperloop Transportation Technologies to draw up the world’s first Hyperloop Guideline defining the essential safety requirements for planning, building and operating such systems. To this end, TÜV SÜD also considered existing regulations and experience in fields such as rail, metro systems, cable cars, amusement rides, aviation and the process industry, and aligned them to the specific requirements of Hyperloop technologies. Taking a holistic approach, the guideline defines a host of aspects including the essential safety requirements for the transport capsules or pods, the drive system, the environmental control and life support system (ECLSS), the tubes, and the evacuation procedure in case of emergency.

Research and development of hyperloop technologies and the associated standardisation efforts have progressed rapidly in recent years, driven mainly by alliances of various Hyperloop companies and research institutes. The free publication of the Hyperloop Guideline marks a milestone in the global standardisation of these systems and the development of harmonised standards for their approval on national and regional markets such as the EU Single Market, as well as for the certification of components and entire systems.

The guideline in PDF format is now available as a free download at:

https://www.tuvsud.com/…