Transportation – Europe2.eu

Helsinki-Stockholm hyperloop

FS Links, a consortium dedicated to lay the foundation work for the use of hyperloop technology in northern Europe, has presented a pre-feasability study on how the Finnish and Swedish capital cities Helsinki and Stockholm could be connected by a hyperloop network. A connection that would reduce travel time down to approximately 28 minutes! The construction cost would be an estimated 19 billion euro, which at a first glance sounds like a lot of money, but in comparison to some estimates recently published for a conventional high-speed railway connecting Sweden’s three biggest city it actually no longer feel all that extreme. Of course this is all a very early study and not a formal prospect.

Helsinki-Stockholm hyperlink proposal — Helsinki-Stockholm hyperlink (Source: Golem.de)

Sources: Golem.de and Hyperloop-One.com

Prague Central Station

Praha hlavní nádraží (Prague central station) is the main railway station in Prague, Czech Republic, and is like a not insignificant number of buildings in the city an example of art noveau architecture.

Originally built in 1871 and back then named Kaiser-Franz-Joseph-Bahnhof in honour of the Austro-Hungarian emperor, the station was rebuilt in 1901-1909 after a design by the architecht Josef Fanta in the then modern art noveau style. After the First World War and the independence of Czechoslovakia the station was renamed after the US president Woodrow Wilson to Wilsonovo nádraží (Wilson Station). The name changed to simply Hlavní nádraží with the German occupation in 1939 and has since 1953 been the current name in use.

The next change came in 1970 when the construction of the Prague metro was the cause for the construction of a new, larger entrance hall with connection to the underground station below, making the central station accessible from the street Washingtonova.

In 2006 a large scale renovation programme was initiated which aims to bring back the original style as well as modernizing the station for the current needs.

Prague Central Station in 2005. Photo: Brunswyk/Wikimedia

Prague Central Station interior — The café in Prague Central Station. Photo: Brunswyk/Wikimedia

Taking the northern sea route between Europe and East Asia

Due to the shifting global climate the nothern sea route between Europe and East Asia has, if not become a viable alternative to the common sea route, so at least a potential choice.

The Stena Polaris freighter has now successfully utilized the route on a journey from Europe to East Asia, thereby showing that this route is starting to be an option. The voyage has been chronicled on the ship’s website at www.stenanorthernsearoute.com.