7 Ways Tech Could Change Travel In Your Lifetime

Technology is constantly changing every aspect of our day to day lives, including how we travel the world, where we stay, and the things we do on our travels. Here, researchers at flight booking platform Globehunters predict seven ways tech could change travel in your lifetime.

2020 – No More Passports

Technology such as facial recognition and fingerprint scanners could soon see passports rendered obsolete. Australia already has plans to roll out a passport-less identification system by 2020.

2021 – Hyperloop

Entrepreneur Elon Musk is hard at work on the Hyperloop, a transport tube that promises to propel travellers via a pod at extremely high speeds. In Europe, Dutch contractors Hardt Global Mobility hope to link the cities of Amsterdam and Paris by 2021.

2025 – Pilotless Planes

You’ve heard of driverless cars, but what about pilotless planes? With unmanned aerial vehicles already being used by the military, pilotless commercial planes could become a reality in a mere seven years.

Will 2025 be the year we say goodbye to pilots?

2026 – Space Tourism

While adventurous tourists can travel to space for a cool $65 million, the price tag will become much more affordable in the next decade thanks to these 5 companies.

2033 – Flying Cars

At least 19 global companies are currently developing flying car plans, with many working on prototypes which could be ready in the next 15 years. Uber recently signed a deal with Nasa to develop on-demand, 200mph electric air taxis. The firm says it plans for the project, called Uber Elevate, to be fully operational in time for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Just a few years later, the tech may be widely available.

2050 – Transparent Airplanes

Airbus believes that by 2050, commercial airplanes could have transparent cabin walls. Will the tech would provide some amazing views, it might cause a few problems for those who suffer from vertigo.

2080 – Transatlantic Train Travel

Travel from London to New York in under an hour could be made possible by a huge tunnel crossing the Atlantic. While estimates say the tech would cost up to $175bn to build, the project could increase travel speeds and cut down on plane emissions.

The Eurostar already takes passengers from London to Paris

About the author

Claire Lancaster

Tech & Entrepreneurship Editor

English-American, Claire has lived and worked in the U.S., South America, Europe and the UK. As Culture Trip’s tech and entrepreneurship editor she covers the European startup scene and issues ranging from Internet privacy to the intersection of the web with civil society, journalism, public policy and art. Claire holds a master’s in international journalism from City University, London and has contributed to outlets including Monocle, NPR, Public Radio International and the BBC World Service. When not writing or travelling, she can be found searching for London's best brunch spot or playing with her cat, Diana Ross.