Hovertrain

Duke Hospital PRT
Narita Airport Terminal 2 Shuttle System

A hovertrain, also known as tracked hovercraft (UK) or tracked air-cushion vehicle (US), is a vehicle that is suspended on a cushion of air, similar to a hovercraft, but operates on a guideway. Unlike conventional trains, which use steel wheels on steel rails, hovertrains use air-based lifting systems and a smooth paved surface known as the track or guideway. The concept aims to eliminate rolling resistance and allow very high performance, while also simplifying the infrastructure needed to lay new lines. The first hovertrain was developed by Jean Bertin in the early 1960s in France, where they were marketed as the AƩrotrain before being abandoned by the French government.