✓ Link copied to clipboard! Elon Musk could be the one to make talks of a transatlantic tunnel become a reality, according to a megaproject expert. A tunnel between the U.S. and Europe has an estimated price tag of $20 trillion but Musk has claimed his companies might be able to build the structure for a fraction of that cost. Why It Matters The concept of a tunnel connecting America with Europe is not necessarily a new one, but recent breakthroughs in vacuum technology mean that the idea has only become genuinely viable recently. Connecting New York and London by rail would be a game-changer for economic and recreational opportunities, given that both cities are major cultural and financial hubs. It would also significantly cut down the environmental footprint of long-haul transatlantic flights. As one of the key players in the vacuum technology that would be needed for the tunnel, Elon Musk would be critical to starting work on the project and keeping costs low. What To Know Discussions over the viability of a transatlantic tunnel recently reentered the mainstream when breakthroughs in vacuum train technology indicated that train journeys through the tunnel would be made much shorter. A typical flight between London and New York City, which is the most common route proposed in concepts for the transatlantic tunnel, takes around eight hours. Historically, even assuming the tunnel was constructed, trains would not run fast enough to justify building it in the first place. Elon Musk, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Tesla Inc., speaks at an unveiling event for The Boring Company Hawthorne test tunnel December 18, 2018 in Hawthorne, California. Musk is a big backer of the... Elon Musk, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Tesla Inc., speaks at an unveiling event for The Boring Company Hawthorne test tunnel December 18, 2018 in Hawthorne, California. Musk is a big backer of the vacuum technology needed for the transatlantic tunnel to be viable. More