Hyperloop pioneer Hardt files for bankruptcy
Dutch company Hardt Hyperloop, developing a futuristic travel concept, filed for bankruptcy.
Published on March 5, 2026
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Hardt Hyperloop, a Dutch company developing a novel transport concept, has filed for bankruptcy, reports the NOS. Despite receiving millions in funding from public and private investors, its transport idea never progressed beyond the testing phase. Significant challenges remain in turning the hyperloop travel concept into a reality.
Hardt Hyperloop, established in 2017, emerged from a student team at the Delft University of Technology. The company aimed to develop a high-speed transportation system, often described as a 'fast train in a tube'. Since then, the firm gained traction, attracting investment and further developing the technology. Yet, yesterday, the news about the bankruptcy was made public.
The hyperloop concept, popularized by Elon Musk and SpaceX about fifteen years ago, envisions passengers traveling in capsules through vacuum tubes. This near-vacuum environment reduces air drag and friction, theoretically enabling speeds exceeding 1,000 kilometers per hour. The goal is to drastically reduce travel times. Hardt Hyperloop hypothesized to cover distances like Amsterdam to Budapest in just 4 hours and 20 minutes, compared to 6 hours by plane or 19.5 hours by train.
The end of European hyperloop?
The exact cause of Hardt Hyperloop's bankruptcy remains unknown. The appointed curator told RTL Z that they are unsure if a restart of the company is possible. In 2019, Hardt Hyperloop used a previous investment to construct a test track in Veendam, Groningen. This project received €7.5 million in public funding from the province and the national government, as well as a €12 million subsidy from the European Union a few years later.
Despite these investments and the construction of the European Hyperloop Center (EHC), which opened in September 2023 as a testing facility, Hardt Hyperloop could not make the jump from testing to a viable commercial application. Over the years of testing, the company advanced the technology, successfully demonstrating a lane switch, a key aspect of the transport concept.
The hyperloop test track in Veendam is now independent of the bankrupt company. The director of the European Hyperloop Center (EHC) hopes hyperloop development can continue despite the bankruptcy of Hardt Hyperloop, a major partner. The director of the EHC stated that the center's future now needs to be re-evaluated. The EHC, a 420-meter-long facility, is the longest hyperloop testing facility in Europe. It remains open for other companies to test and validate their innovations.
Full speed ahead: Europe takes charge of hyperloop future
At Hardt Hyperloop’s headquarters, the EIT organized a media event to provide an overview of the state of hyperloop technology.