The Aérotrain, unlike traditional trains, resembled an aircraft or the Russian Ekranoplan. It utilized a principle called “the ground effect” to essentially glide on air. This effect occurs when an object flies close to the ground at a high speed, causing air to gather underneath and push it upward, providing a limited amount of lift. After creating small-scale models, the Aérotrain’s full-size prototype looked somewhat like a bus with a propeller at the back, combined with the Disney monorail. In 1966, it reportedly reached a speed of 214 miles per hour on an elevated track. Later, the propeller was replaced with a turbine engine, enabling it to reach 262 miles per hour, slightly faster than the electric Rimac Nevera hypercar.

The viability of the Aérotrain was proven through tests. However, as is the case with many large public projects, politics played a role. In 1974, Valéry Giscard d’Estaing assumed the presidency of France and decided to cancel the Aérotrain project in favor of another ongoing high-speed rail project, the TGV. The TGV, a series of electric trains, still operates today, reaching speeds of approximately 198 miles per hour.