Proposed $20 Trillion Tunnel Could Get You From NYC To London In Just 54 Minutes

A groundbreaking idea could connect the UK and the US in under an hour.

Imagine a world where you could travel between New York and London in under an hour.It’s a concept that sounds like it’s straight out of science fiction, but it’s something engineers and visionaries have been seriously considering.

A proposed project, often referred to as the Transatlantic Tunnel, could make this dream a reality, allowing passengers to commute across the Atlantic Ocean faster than ever thought possible.

The tunnel would cross the Atlantic OceanGetty Stock Photo

Currently, the fastest way to get from New York City to London is by air, with flights taking approximately eight hours, depending on wind conditions and other factors.Reducing this to just 54 minutes would revolutionize travel as we know it. However, this game-changing journey would come with a hefty price tag.Estimates suggest that building such a tunnel would cost an astronomical $19.8 trillion and stretch an impressive 3,400 miles across the Atlantic Ocean.

Constructing the tunnel would be no small feat. Experts believe it could take several decades to complete due to the extensive work and engineering challenges involved in such a large-scale project.To put this into perspective, the Channel Tunnel, which connects England and France, is just 23.5 miles long, yet it took six years to build.The Transatlantic Tunnel would be more than 100 times that length, raising the stakes significantly.So how exactly would this marvel of engineering work?

The Channel Tunnel took six years to makeSAMEER AL-DOUMY/AFP via Getty Images

One proposal involves constructing the tunnel beneath the seabed, similar to the Channel Tunnel.However, an alternative idea suggests suspending the tunnel above the ocean using advanced cable systems.This method would avoid many of the challenges of building under the ocean floor.Thanks to advancements in vacuum technology, trains within the tunnel could reach speeds exceeding 3,000 mph, dramatically cutting down the travel time to under an hour.This would completely transform how we think about international travel.

Another concept involves jet propulsion technology, where thrust is generated by a fast-moving jet of fluid.This innovative method would require a carefully calculated 18-minute deceleration period to ensure safe arrivals at both ends of the tunnel.Although these ideas are fascinating, neither the US nor UK governments currently have concrete plans to fund or build the project.Still, it’s a concept that continues to capture imaginations and spark debate about the future of transportation.One major concern raised by skeptics is the potential cost of tickets for such a journey.If built, this futuristic mode of travel might only be accessible to the ultra-wealthy due to the high expense of construction and maintenance.

Flights to the UK take around eight hours from New YorkGetty Stock Image

One Reddit user commented: “Perhaps more relevant that any technical issues, at that cost the price of a ticket would be sky high (ironically perhaps) to get any return in a reasonable timescale.”Another pointed out the overwhelming costs associated with such an endeavor, stating: “It would cost an insane amount up‐font. We’re talking enough to bankrupt every government in the world.”A third added: “It would never pay for itself, because yearly maintenance costs would always be more than the amount it would save in air and sea transport—which isn’t as much as you might think, because many people would pay for air travel instead of spending several days crossing by train/automobile, and sea freight would remain cheaper.”