Elon Musk has proposed a $25.4 billion tunnel project connecting London and New York, promising a travel time of 54 minutes.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk has floated a bold new idea, constructing a high-speed underground tunnel connecting London to New York.
He claims such a project could cost around $25.4 billion and shorten transatlantic travel to just 54 minutes.
Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and The Boring Company, known for pushing technological boundaries.
His vision merges tunneling technology with high-speed transport to revolutionize intercontinental travel.
Elon Musk suggests building a $25.4 billion tunnel linking London and New York in just 54 minutes
Starship rocket as an alternative ultra-fast transport option
Prior to this tunnel proposal, Musk had already teased a rapid intercontinental travel concept using his SpaceX Starship rocket.
He suggested that people could travel from one city to any other on Earth in under an hour using the craft.
In one hypothetical example, passengers could fly from London to New York in only 29 minutes, nearly cutting the current flight time by 90%.
His comments came in response to online discussions about regulatory approval under previous U.S. administrations.
He wrote: “Under Trump’s FAA, @SpaceX could even get Starship Earth to Earth approved in a few years – Taking people from any city to any other city on Earth in under one hour.”
Online buzz and bold statements from Musk
A social media user recently suggested that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration might have allowed such futuristic travel under President Donald Trump.
The user speculated that Starship Earth-to-Earth flights could be greenlit within a few years.
Musk responded to the comment with his usual cryptic enthusiasm, saying: “This is now possible.”
The sentence reignited public interest in ultra-fast, long-distance travel.
Musk believes the tunneling option is far more affordable
Shortly after, a hip-hop media page shared a speculative post about a supposed $20 trillion underwater tunnel connecting New York and London in under an hour.
Musk chimed in, clarifying that such a project could be done far more economically.
“The @boringcompany could do it for 1000X less money,” Musk said.
That would bring the price down to roughly $25.4 billion, a figure he believes is achievable using the innovations developed by his tunneling firm.
The Boring Company behind the tunnel vision
Founded in 2017, The Boring Company aims to revolutionize urban infrastructure through tunnel-based transportation.
The company has already completed several test projects in the U.S., including a short tunnel network beneath Las Vegas.
Its mission is to reduce traffic congestion and travel time using underground transport solutions.
Musk’s latest tunnel idea would be the company’s most ambitious project yet, spanning the Atlantic Ocean.
Though Musk’s plan may sound futuristic, underwater tunnels already exist and continue to be developed.
One notable example is the Fehmarnbelt tunnel, currently under construction between Denmark and Germany beneath the Baltic Sea.
This 18-kilometer immersed tunnel will carry trains and cars, drastically reducing travel time between the two countries.
It’s scheduled to open by 2029 and is being praised for its low environmental impact and resilience to weather.
Engineers detail complexity of current tunnel project
Denise Juchem, a spokesperson for the Danish firm behind the Fehmarnbelt tunnel, explained that it offers a reliable and cost-effective alternative to ferries and bridges.
The tunnel chosen over other designs due to its minimal environmental disruption.
Markus Just, Tunnel Design Quality Manager, shared insight into the design process. Custom basins built to float and tow giant tunnel elements into place underwater.