UK design group Priestmangoode has come up with a futuristic high speed rail concept called Moving Platforms. The concept involves a local tram or train docking alongside a moving high speed train which would let passengers transfer from the HSR train to their local city tram or train.

This could dramatically cut travel times between a Brisbane – Melbourne high speed rail route and potentially cut down on the overall cost of the project by removing the need to stop at stations between major city hubs and instead replacing them with a docking train.

The video below explains this new moving platforms concept.

In the UK, research has found that was hugely inefficient to run a 21st century high-speed rail service “on 19th century infrastructure that was invented for steam trains”. Therefore, as Australia is starting from scratch, we have a huge opportunity to create integrated 21st century high speed rail using this sort of advanced technology, because after all, like steam train infrastructure, this is something we will have for at least a century.

The Australian Government is conducting a high speed rail study, which is now entering it’s second stage. This technology along with high speed rail in Australia has the chance to revolutionise the way we move around the east coast.