Beneath the streets of Las Vegas, a network of underground tunnels is changing how people get around. The Boring Company, founded by Elon Musk, created this innovative transportation system called the Vegas Loop. Instead of traditional trains or buses, the tunnels use Tesla electric vehicles to move passengers quickly through the city underground.
The first tunnel opened in June 2021 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. This initial segment, called the LVCC Loop, stretches 1.7 miles and connects five stops around the convention center property. The tunnel system has already proven successful by reducing a 25-minute walk across the convention center to just a 2-minute ride. During testing, the system showed it could transport over 4,400 passengers every hour. Projected expansions include connections to Harry Reid International Airport, Allegiant Stadium, and the Fremont Street Experience. The approved expansion plan envisions 65 miles of tunnels and 69 stations throughout Las Vegas.
The tunnels themselves are narrow compared to traditional underground transit systems. They measure just 14 feet in diameter, which keeps construction costs down and makes digging faster. The Boring Company uses special tunnel-boring machines named the Prufrock series to dig these passages. These machines are all-electric, which means they don’t produce harmful emissions while working underground.
Inside the tunnels, Tesla Model 3 and Model X vehicles operate at speeds up to 35 miles per hour. Originally, Musk’s company planned to run these vehicles without human drivers, but the system currently uses drivers to control each car. Passengers reported waiting less than 10 seconds for a ride and completing their trip in under two minutes.
The environmental benefits are significant. Since the vehicles are all-electric, they produce zero emissions while traveling through the tunnels. The system also reduces traffic on Las Vegas streets by moving people underground instead of on surface roads. The company even recycles the dirt from tunnel construction into bricks and pavers for affordable housing projects.
Looking ahead, the Vegas Loop has ambitious plans to expand throughout the city. The complete system seeks to eventually transport up to 90,000 passengers per hour. While the Las Vegas City Council continues discussing expansion details, the underground tunnel network is already demonstrating that Musk’s bold transportation idea can work in a major American city.