Elon Musk has said he has received permission to build an underground east coast "hyperloop" that will connect New York and Washington DC in just 29 minutes.

Mr Musk, best known for his electric car company and for his space venture Space X, said he had received verbal permission for his infrastructure and tunnelling firm, the Boring Company, to build a subterranean transportation system.

Mr Musk, who has previously made claims that many have considered wild, did not say who he had received permission from, or the nature of the “verbal agreement�?.

We’ll tell you what’s true. You can form your own view. From 15p €0.18 $0.18 USD 0.27 a day, more exclusives, analysis and extras.

“Just received verbal govt approval for The Boring Company to build an underground NY-Phil-Balt-DC Hyperloop. NY-DC in 29 mins,�? he said on Twitter.

“City centre to city centre in each case, with up to a dozen or more entry/exit elevators in each city.�?

Shape Created with Sketch. World news in pictures Show all 50 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. World news in pictures 1/50 9 September 2019 A firefighter assesses the fire spreading across land on Long Gully Road in the town of Drake, Australia. A number of homes have been destroyed by bushfires in New South Wales and Queensland. EPA 2/50 8 September 2019 Damaged homes after hurricane Dorian devastated Elbow Key Island in Hope Town, Bahamas. The hurricane hit the island chain as a category 5 storm and battered them for two days before moving north. Getty 3/50 7 September 2019 An artist performs on Tverskaya street during celebrations marking the 872nd anniversary of the city of Moscow. AFP/Getty 4/50 6 September 2019 Children play football next to a defaced portrait of Former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe in Harare on the day he died, aged 95. The former leader was forced to resign in 2017, after a 37-year rule, whose early promise was eroded by economic turmoil, disputed elections and human rights violations, has died. AP 5/50 5 September 2019 Authorities work at the scene of a train crash in Yokohama, south of Tokyo. According to media reports, more than 30 people were injured after a train hit a track at a crossing. EPA 6/50 4 September 2019 A police office removes burning tires from the road, as protesters set up fires to block traffic along Airport Road in Abuja, Nigeria. Reuters 7/50 3 September 2019 A riot police officer throws a teargas canister as looters make off with goods from a store in Germiston, east of Johannesburg, South Africa. Police had earlier fired rubber bullets as they struggled to stop looters who targeted businesses as unrest broke out in several spots in and around the city. AP 8/50 2 September 2019 A boat off the island of Santa Cruz in California burns in the early hours of Monday morning. More than 30 people were on board the boat, which is thought to have been on a three-day diving trip. EPA 9/50 1 September 2019 Flowers are laid in a hole in a wall as people gather in the gym of a school, the scene of the hostage crisis, in memory of victims on the fifteenth anniversary of the tragedy in Beslan, North Ossetia region, Russia. More than 330 people, including 186 children, died as a result of the terrorist attack at the school. AP 10/50 31 August 2019 A man sits in front of riot officers during the rally 'Calling One Hundred Thousands Christians Praying for Hong Kong Sinners' in Hong Kong, China. EPA 11/50 30 August 2019 A migrant forces his way into the Spanish territory of Ceuta. Over 150 migrants made their way into Ceuta after storming a barbed-wire border fence with Morocco. AFP/Getty 12/50 A beagle jumps through hoops during a show at the Pet Expo Championship 2019 in Bangkok, Thailand. 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The Canadian Press via AP 16/50 25 August 2019 A Brazillian Air Force jet drops water to fight a fire in the Amazon rainforest in the state of Rondonia, Brazil. EPA 17/50 24 August 2019 A police officer prepares to strike a protester as clashes erupt during a pro-democracy march in Hong Kong's Kowloon Bay. AFP/Getty 18/50 23 August 2019 Oxfam activists in costumes depicting leaders of the G7 nations protest in Biarritz, France on the day before the summit is due to be held there. AFP/Getty 19/50 22 August 2019 A vendor sits as she sells models of the Hindu deity Krishna on display at a roadside ahead of the 'Janmashtami' festival in Chennai. 20/50 21 August 2019 A girl reacts next to Pope Francis as he leads the weekly general audience in Paul VI Hall at the Vatican. 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Reuters 28/50 13 August 2019 The extraordinary moment a volcano erupted, shooting luminous hot lava from the surface, as a lightning bolt striked the centre of the mountain. Photographer Martin Reitze, 55, captured rare images of volcanic ash escaping from the Ebeko volcano in Russia whilst the lightning froze the ash cloud in time. Martin, from Munich, was standing around a kilometre away from the northern crater of the volcano when it erupted. The volcano expert said: "The strong lightning which shows in the image is a very rare exception, as it was much stronger than usual." Martin Reitze/SWNS 29/50 12 August 2019 People swim in a public bath pool in Zalakaros, Hungary. Some regions of the country have been issued the highest grade of warning by the National Meteorological Service as the temperatures may reach 33-38 centigrade. EPA 30/50 11 August 2019 A pro-democracy protester is held by police outside Tsim Sha Tsui Police station during a demonstration against the controversial extradition bill in Hong Kong. AFP/Getty 31/50 10 August 2019 Muslim pilgrims make their way down on a rocky hill known as Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. AP 32/50 9 August 2019 Waves hit a sea wall in front of buildings in Taizhou, China's eastern Zhejiang province. China issued a red alert for incoming Super Typhoon Lekima which is expected to batter eastern Zhejiang province early on August 10 with high winds and torrential rainfall. AFP/Getty 33/50 8 August 2019 A herder struggles with his flock across a motorway at the city cattle market, ahead of the Eid al-Adha in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Eid al-Adha is the holiest of the two Muslims holidays celebrated each year, it marks the yearly Muslim pilgrimage (Hajj) to visit Mecca, the holiest place in Islam. Muslims slaughter a sacrificial animal and split the meat into three parts, one for the family, one for friends and relatives, and one for the poor and needy. EPA 34/50 7 August 2019 Kazakh servicemen perform during a ceremony opening the International Army Games at the 40th military base Otar in Zhambyl Region, Kazakhstan. Reuters 35/50 6 August 2019 Paleontologist Naturalis Anne Schulp takes part in the construction of the skeleton of the Tyrannosaurus Rex called Trix in Naturalis in Leiden, The Netherlands. After a month-long tour of Europe, Trix is home in time for the opening of the new museum. AFP/Getty 36/50 5 August 2019 Flowers paying tribute to the eight-year-old boy who died after he was pushed under a train at Frankfurt am Main's station. The horrific crime happened last week and has led politicians to call for heightened security. AFP/Getty 37/50 4 August 2019 Mourners take part in a vigil near the border fence between Mexico and the US after a mass shooting at a Walmart store in El Paso killed 20 people. The suspected gunman behind shooting is believed to be a 21-year-old white man called Patrick Crusius. Reuters 38/50 3 August 2019 Pramac Racing's rider Jack Miller in action during a practice session at the Motorcycling Grand Prix of the Czech Republic. The race will take place on 4 August. EPA 39/50 2 August 2019 An extremely rare Pink Meanie jellyfish on display at the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town. The Pink Meanie was discovered during a nightlight jellyfish dive by the collections team in the waters around Robben Island and in Cape Town Harbour. Pink Meanies are jellyvorous, meaning they feed on other jelly species by reeling them in with their long tentacles. Discovering the Pink Meanie in its early ephyra stage meant the team could study its growth rate which turned out to be very quick as it grew to the metaephyra stage in about a week and a half. The Mexican pink meanie (Drymonema larsoni) was only discovered in the year 2000. A Mediterranean relative, known as the Big Pink Jellyfish (Drymonema dalmatinum) has been known to science since the 1800s but when spotted in 2014 it had been almost 70 years since the last sighting. These jellies are incredibly rare and this new South African species is no exception. EPA 40/50 1 August 2019 Palestinian men breathe fire on the beach as entertainment for children during the summer vacation in Gaza City. AFP/Getty 41/50 31 July 2019 A woman rows a boat through the lotus plants on the waters of Dal Lake in Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian Kashmir. The lake is a popular tourist destination because of its floating gardens and lotus flowers. EPA 42/50 30 July 2019 An effigy of demon Ghantakarna is burnt to symbolize the destruction of evil and belief to drive evil spirits and ghost, during the Ghantakarna festival at the ancient city of Bhaktapur, Nepal. Reuters 43/50 29 July 2019 Hundreds of hot air balloons take part in the Great Line at the Mondial Air Ballons festival, in an attempt to break the 2017 record of 456 balloons aligning in an hour during the biggest meeting in the world, in Chambley, France. Reuters 44/50 28 July 2019 Anti-extradition bill protesters with umbrellas attend a rally against the police brutality in Hong Kong. EPA 45/50 27 July 2019 A general view of stalls closed following yesterday's volcanic eruption at the tourism area of Mount Tangkuban Parahu in the north of Bandung, West Java province, Indonesia. Reuters 46/50 26 July 2019 Protesters rally against a controversial extradition bill in the arrivals hall at the international airport in Hong Kong. AFP/Getty 47/50 25 July 2019 The pack rides in a valley during the eighteenth stage of the 106th edition of the Tour de France cycling race between Embrun and Valloire. AFP/Getty 48/50 24 July 2019 Former special counsel Robert Mueller is sworn in to testify before a House Judiciary Committee hearing on the investigation into Russian Interference of the 2016 Presidential Election. Reuters 49/50 23 July 2019 People cool down at the fountains of Trocadero during a heatwave in Paris. EPA 50/50 22 July 2019 Activists burn an effigy of President Rodrigo Duterte, depicted as a sea monster, during a protest near congress. This is to coincide with his state of the nation address in Manila. AFP/Getty 1/50 9 September 2019 A firefighter assesses the fire spreading across land on Long Gully Road in the town of Drake, Australia. A number of homes have been destroyed by bushfires in New South Wales and Queensland. EPA 2/50 8 September 2019 Damaged homes after hurricane Dorian devastated Elbow Key Island in Hope Town, Bahamas. The hurricane hit the island chain as a category 5 storm and battered them for two days before moving north. Getty 3/50 7 September 2019 An artist performs on Tverskaya street during celebrations marking the 872nd anniversary of the city of Moscow. AFP/Getty 4/50 6 September 2019 Children play football next to a defaced portrait of Former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe in Harare on the day he died, aged 95. The former leader was forced to resign in 2017, after a 37-year rule, whose early promise was eroded by economic turmoil, disputed elections and human rights violations, has died. AP 5/50 5 September 2019 Authorities work at the scene of a train crash in Yokohama, south of Tokyo. According to media reports, more than 30 people were injured after a train hit a track at a crossing. EPA 6/50 4 September 2019 A police office removes burning tires from the road, as protesters set up fires to block traffic along Airport Road in Abuja, Nigeria. Reuters 7/50 3 September 2019 A riot police officer throws a teargas canister as looters make off with goods from a store in Germiston, east of Johannesburg, South Africa. Police had earlier fired rubber bullets as they struggled to stop looters who targeted businesses as unrest broke out in several spots in and around the city. AP 8/50 2 September 2019 A boat off the island of Santa Cruz in California burns in the early hours of Monday morning. More than 30 people were on board the boat, which is thought to have been on a three-day diving trip. EPA 9/50 1 September 2019 Flowers are laid in a hole in a wall as people gather in the gym of a school, the scene of the hostage crisis, in memory of victims on the fifteenth anniversary of the tragedy in Beslan, North Ossetia region, Russia. More than 330 people, including 186 children, died as a result of the terrorist attack at the school. AP 10/50 31 August 2019 A man sits in front of riot officers during the rally 'Calling One Hundred Thousands Christians Praying for Hong Kong Sinners' in Hong Kong, China. EPA 11/50 30 August 2019 A migrant forces his way into the Spanish territory of Ceuta. Over 150 migrants made their way into Ceuta after storming a barbed-wire border fence with Morocco. AFP/Getty 12/50 A beagle jumps through hoops during a show at the Pet Expo Championship 2019 in Bangkok, Thailand. Although the four-day expo is primarily dog oriented it features a wide array of stalls catering to pet owners' needs as well as showcasing a variety of animals including reptiles, birds, ferrets, and rabbits. EPA 13/50 28 August 2019 Baby elephants rub their trunks against a tree at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Elephant Orphanage in Nairobi, Kenya. Countries that are part of an international agreement on trade in endangered species agreed on Tuesday to limit the sale of wild elephants, delighting conservationists but dismaying some of the African countries involved. AP 14/50 27 August 2019 Burning rubbles in the market of Bouake, central Ivory Coast, after a fire broke overnight. AFP/Getty 15/50 26 August 2019 French President Emmanuel Macron gestures as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, second from left, sits between British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, left, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel as they take part in a meeting at the G7 Summit in Biarritz, France. The Canadian Press via AP 16/50 25 August 2019 A Brazillian Air Force jet drops water to fight a fire in the Amazon rainforest in the state of Rondonia, Brazil. EPA 17/50 24 August 2019 A police officer prepares to strike a protester as clashes erupt during a pro-democracy march in Hong Kong's Kowloon Bay. AFP/Getty 18/50 23 August 2019 Oxfam activists in costumes depicting leaders of the G7 nations protest in Biarritz, France on the day before the summit is due to be held there. AFP/Getty 19/50 22 August 2019 A vendor sits as she sells models of the Hindu deity Krishna on display at a roadside ahead of the 'Janmashtami' festival in Chennai. 20/50 21 August 2019 A girl reacts next to Pope Francis as he leads the weekly general audience in Paul VI Hall at the Vatican. Reuters 21/50 20 August 2019 A masked dancer takes part in the Nil Barahi mask dance festival, an annual event during which dancers perform while posing as various deities that people worship to seek blessings, in Bode, Nepal. Reuters 22/50 19 August 2019 Protesters take to the street to face off with Indonesian police in Manokwari, Papua. The riots broke out, with a local parliament building being torched, as thousands protested allegations that police tear-gassed and arrested students who supported the restive region's independence. AFP/Getty 23/50 18 August 2019 People survey the destruction after an overnight suicide bomb explosion that targeted a wedding reception in Kabul, Afghanistan. At least 63 people, mostly wedding guests from the Shi'ite Muslim community, were killed and more than 180 injured when a suicide bomber attacked a wedding hall. EPA 24/50 17 August 2019 A man retrieves his prize after climbing up a greased pole during a competition held as part of Independence Day celebrations at Ancol Beach in Jakarta. Indonesia is celebrating its 74th anniversary of independence from the Dutch colonial rule. AP 25/50 16 August 2019 Swiss pianist and composer Alain Roche plays piano suspended in the air at dawn during the 20th "Jeux du Castrum", a multidisciplinary festival in Switzerland. AFP/Getty 26/50 15 August 2019 Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako bow during a memorial service ceremony marking the 74th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War Two, in Tokyo, Japan. Reuters 27/50 14 August 2019 A woman walks with a Kashmir's flag to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir, during a ceremony to celebrate Pakistan's 72nd Independence Day at the Mausoleum of Muhammad Ali Jinnah in Karachi, Pakistan. Reuters 28/50 13 August 2019 The extraordinary moment a volcano erupted, shooting luminous hot lava from the surface, as a lightning bolt striked the centre of the mountain. Photographer Martin Reitze, 55, captured rare images of volcanic ash escaping from the Ebeko volcano in Russia whilst the lightning froze the ash cloud in time. Martin, from Munich, was standing around a kilometre away from the northern crater of the volcano when it erupted. The volcano expert said: "The strong lightning which shows in the image is a very rare exception, as it was much stronger than usual." Martin Reitze/SWNS 29/50 12 August 2019 People swim in a public bath pool in Zalakaros, Hungary. Some regions of the country have been issued the highest grade of warning by the National Meteorological Service as the temperatures may reach 33-38 centigrade. EPA 30/50 11 August 2019 A pro-democracy protester is held by police outside Tsim Sha Tsui Police station during a demonstration against the controversial extradition bill in Hong Kong. AFP/Getty 31/50 10 August 2019 Muslim pilgrims make their way down on a rocky hill known as Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. AP 32/50 9 August 2019 Waves hit a sea wall in front of buildings in Taizhou, China's eastern Zhejiang province. China issued a red alert for incoming Super Typhoon Lekima which is expected to batter eastern Zhejiang province early on August 10 with high winds and torrential rainfall. AFP/Getty 33/50 8 August 2019 A herder struggles with his flock across a motorway at the city cattle market, ahead of the Eid al-Adha in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Eid al-Adha is the holiest of the two Muslims holidays celebrated each year, it marks the yearly Muslim pilgrimage (Hajj) to visit Mecca, the holiest place in Islam. Muslims slaughter a sacrificial animal and split the meat into three parts, one for the family, one for friends and relatives, and one for the poor and needy. EPA 34/50 7 August 2019 Kazakh servicemen perform during a ceremony opening the International Army Games at the 40th military base Otar in Zhambyl Region, Kazakhstan. Reuters 35/50 6 August 2019 Paleontologist Naturalis Anne Schulp takes part in the construction of the skeleton of the Tyrannosaurus Rex called Trix in Naturalis in Leiden, The Netherlands. After a month-long tour of Europe, Trix is home in time for the opening of the new museum. AFP/Getty 36/50 5 August 2019 Flowers paying tribute to the eight-year-old boy who died after he was pushed under a train at Frankfurt am Main's station. The horrific crime happened last week and has led politicians to call for heightened security. AFP/Getty 37/50 4 August 2019 Mourners take part in a vigil near the border fence between Mexico and the US after a mass shooting at a Walmart store in El Paso killed 20 people. The suspected gunman behind shooting is believed to be a 21-year-old white man called Patrick Crusius. Reuters 38/50 3 August 2019 Pramac Racing's rider Jack Miller in action during a practice session at the Motorcycling Grand Prix of the Czech Republic. The race will take place on 4 August. EPA 39/50 2 August 2019 An extremely rare Pink Meanie jellyfish on display at the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town. The Pink Meanie was discovered during a nightlight jellyfish dive by the collections team in the waters around Robben Island and in Cape Town Harbour. Pink Meanies are jellyvorous, meaning they feed on other jelly species by reeling them in with their long tentacles. Discovering the Pink Meanie in its early ephyra stage meant the team could study its growth rate which turned out to be very quick as it grew to the metaephyra stage in about a week and a half. The Mexican pink meanie (Drymonema larsoni) was only discovered in the year 2000. A Mediterranean relative, known as the Big Pink Jellyfish (Drymonema dalmatinum) has been known to science since the 1800s but when spotted in 2014 it had been almost 70 years since the last sighting. These jellies are incredibly rare and this new South African species is no exception. EPA 40/50 1 August 2019 Palestinian men breathe fire on the beach as entertainment for children during the summer vacation in Gaza City. AFP/Getty 41/50 31 July 2019 A woman rows a boat through the lotus plants on the waters of Dal Lake in Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian Kashmir. The lake is a popular tourist destination because of its floating gardens and lotus flowers. EPA 42/50 30 July 2019 An effigy of demon Ghantakarna is burnt to symbolize the destruction of evil and belief to drive evil spirits and ghost, during the Ghantakarna festival at the ancient city of Bhaktapur, Nepal. Reuters 43/50 29 July 2019 Hundreds of hot air balloons take part in the Great Line at the Mondial Air Ballons festival, in an attempt to break the 2017 record of 456 balloons aligning in an hour during the biggest meeting in the world, in Chambley, France. Reuters 44/50 28 July 2019 Anti-extradition bill protesters with umbrellas attend a rally against the police brutality in Hong Kong. EPA 45/50 27 July 2019 A general view of stalls closed following yesterday's volcanic eruption at the tourism area of Mount Tangkuban Parahu in the north of Bandung, West Java province, Indonesia. Reuters 46/50 26 July 2019 Protesters rally against a controversial extradition bill in the arrivals hall at the international airport in Hong Kong. AFP/Getty 47/50 25 July 2019 The pack rides in a valley during the eighteenth stage of the 106th edition of the Tour de France cycling race between Embrun and Valloire. AFP/Getty 48/50 24 July 2019 Former special counsel Robert Mueller is sworn in to testify before a House Judiciary Committee hearing on the investigation into Russian Interference of the 2016 Presidential Election. Reuters 49/50 23 July 2019 People cool down at the fountains of Trocadero during a heatwave in Paris. EPA 50/50 22 July 2019 Activists burn an effigy of President Rodrigo Duterte, depicted as a sea monster, during a protest near congress. This is to coincide with his state of the nation address in Manila. AFP/Getty

Earlier this month Mr Musk announced the Boring Company’s Godot machine has begun its digging operation in the car park of the SpaceX building in LA.

Mr Musk first proposed the electromagnetic tube system in 2013. Earlier this year the California tech company Hyperloop One unveiled a plan for a NY-to-DC system.

Many people on social media asked Mr Musk who had given him permission for the project but he refused to answer.</s>Photo: Hyperloop One/Tesla(NEW YORK) — Elon Musk tweeted on Thursday that his Boring Company has received verbal approval to build an hyperloop connecting a number of major cities along the East Coast of the United States.

Musk and the company have touted the possibility of untrafast travel via hyperloop system for years. On Thursday, Musk said that a trip from New York City to Washington, D.C. could be made in just 29 minutes if his vision comes to life.

Musk later clarified that there remains much work before formal approval is given to build the hyperloop, but that he remained optimistic that it would happen in the near future.

Musk first released the concept of the hyperloop in 2013.</s>Elon Musk said Thursday he has received “verbal government approval” — but not a formal go-ahead — for his newest, tunnel-digging venture to build an underground, high-speed transportation system connecting New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C.

Less than two hours after his first tweets announcing the verbal approval, the billionaire entrepreneur qualified his statements, tweeting: “Still a lot of work needed to receive formal approval, but am optimistic that will occur rapidly.”

At least one city official seemed to be unaware of these plans. Eric Phillips, press secretary for New York City Mayor Bill deBlasio, quoted Musk’s tweet, adding: “This is news to City Hall.” When he was asked on Twitter what verbal approval would mean, he responded, “No clue.”

Musk, who also serves as chief executive of SpaceX and Tesla Inc., tweeted that the transportation system, known as the Hyperloop, would connect each city center with “up to a dozen or more entry/exit elevators in each city.” He added that travelers on the Hyperloop could get from New York to Washington, D.C. in 29 minutes.

Musk first publicly mused about the Hyperloop — low-friction tubes through which passengers would speed in pods — in 2012, then released a blog post a year later that gave more details on the design. At the time, he said the transportation system would move passengers from Los Angeles to San Francisco in 30 minutes at speeds of up to 760 mph.

But, so far, Musk has let other entrepreneurs run with the idea. Two Los Angeles start-ups focused on hyperloop technology have emerged, and Hawthorne-based SpaceX hosted a student hyperloop pod competition last year.

In December, Musk said he would build a tunnel-boring machine because traffic was “driving me nuts.” He called the project the Boring Co. and has since periodically tweeted updates about a tunnel-digging machine he called “Godot” and the tunnel it has been digging near the SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne.

The Boring Co. did not immediately respond to a request for further comment.</s>Serial entrepreneur Elon Musk said his latest venture, The Boring Company, just got "verbal government approval" to build a Hyperloop connecting New York City with Washington DC.

Musk didn't clarify who exactly gave the company verbal approval and whether or not it came from different state representatives. But he said the company will build an underground tunnel that will connect the two major cities.

The Hyperloop could shuttle people between New York and Washington DC in 29 minutes, Musk said. It would make stops in Philadelphia and Baltimore.

New York and Philadelphia city representatives said Musk has not made any contact with officials about the Hyperloop Project.

The Department of Transportation referred Business Insider to a White House spokesperson, who sent the following statement:

"We have had promising conversations to date, are committed to transformative infrastructure projects, and believe our greatest solutions have often come from the ingenuity and drive of the private sector."

Musk visited the White House on three separate occassions this year when he sat on President Donald Trump's economic advisory board and Manufacturing Jobs Initiative. He left both advisory councils after the US withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement in June.

It's no secret that Musk has been in talks with different city representatives about his tunnel-boring ambitions, but this is the first time he's mentioned an East Coast project.

Musk said in late June that he has had "promising conversations" with LA Mayor Eric Garcetti about building a tunnel between Los Angeles International Airport and Union Station, a main transit hub that connects Los Angeles to distant suburbs. Garcetti said he was considering using Musk's tunnel to support a high-speed rail connection.

The Boring Company will work on the Los Angeles tunnel and East Coast tunnel at the same time, Musk said Thursday.

Musk has also been in "preliminary" talks with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel about digging a tunnel that would connect downtown Chicago with O'Hare International Airport, CNBC reported.

Musk said on Twitter in December that he wanted to build a tunnel boring machine because LA traffic was driving him "nuts."

A few months later, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO launched The Boring Company. The venture is being led by SpaceX engineer Steve Davis.

Musk has traditionally said the tunnel will be used to transport people and cars via an electric skate. Although the tunnel in Los Angeles would support a high-speed rail, Musk's Thursday announcement marks the first time the company has teased digging a tunnel to support a Hyperloop.

Musk first outlined his plan for a Hyperloop in a 2013 "white paper," but hasn't seriously pursued the high-speed transportation system.

Tunnel-boring is a notoriously expensive process, but the company is looking to cut down costs by building a machine that can dig and place reinforcements in the wall at the same time, Musk said during an April TED Talk. Tunneling machines traditionally dig for half the time and then go back to add reinforcements, a longer and costlier process.

The Boring Company has already completed its first tunnel segment in Los Angeles on SpaceX's property. For any of Musk's plans to be fully realized, he will need to secure permits through city and state representatives.

This article was updated Thursday afternoon to include comments from New York, Philadelphia, and White House representatives.</s>With a busy week behind you and the weekend within reach, there’s no shame in taking things a bit easy on Friday afternoon. With this in mind, every Friday TriplePundit will give you a fun, easy read on a topic you care about. So, take a break from those endless email threads, and spend five minutes catching up on the latest trends in sustainability and business.

Donald Trump’s ability to score attention via social media is unparalleled, but Elon Musk is not far behind. The CEO of Tesla scored heaps of excitement, mixed with some scorn, when he announced yesterday that he had “verbal government approval” to build an underground tunnel for a Hyperloop that would link New York City to Washington, D.C.

Musk claims The Boring Company‘s Hyperloop system could transport citizens from DC to New York in 29 minutes. The Boring Company first began as a joke born of traffic frustration, then became pipe dream. But since Musk first floated the idea of the Hyperloop in 2013, various start-ups have tested the idea. Hyperloop One, for example, launched its first test run last year.

Musk’s reputation as a master technology and business disruptor is also taking shape with The Boring Company. Earlier this year, the company’s technology, which supposedly can dig and reinforce tunnels at the same time, started a test project in Los Angeles. Musk in part launched the venture out of his criticism of conventional tunnel construction, which in the most extreme cases can cost $1 billion a mile. A recent Wall Street Journal assessment of tunneling infrastructure projects in New York City estimated that the costs range from $19,000 to $1 million per foot, though advances in technology both lower costs and speed up the process.

The northeastern U.S. has long relied on rail to move travelers from D.C. to Boston, though critics of Amtrak say that the system is expensive and slow despite the 2000 rollout of Acela Express.

But as of press time, officials in Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York, the four largest cities that would be served by Musk’s conceptual Hyperloop, have denied any such approval for a project. “Nobody in City Hall, or any of our city agencies, has heard from Mr. Musk or any representatives of his company,” said a spokesman for New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio in an emailed statement to the Los Angeles Times.</s>Entrepreneur Elon Musk said he had been given “verbal” government “approval” for his vision, in which one of his companies, The Boring Company, would build an underground transportation system connecting New York City to Washington, D.C., in a 29-minute trip.

With a tweet and very little else by way of detail, the entrepreneur Elon Musk on Thursday raised the prospect of speedy, hassle-free travel along the busy section of the Eastern Seaboard between New York and Washington, D.C.

On Twitter, Musk said that he had been given “verbal” government “approval” for his vision, in which one of his companies, The Boring Company, would build an underground transportation system connecting New York City to Philadelphia to Baltimore and on to the nation’s capital — all in the unheard-of time of 29 minutes.

It takes New Yorkers longer than that just to cross Manhattan by subway.

Musk’s tweet was enticing enough, even without details, that it prompted a bombardment of follow-up questions and a great deal of skepticism.

Who would pay for it? How long would it take to build? How would it be built? There were no answers.

Nor was there any indication of just who in the government had given the plan the “verbal” green light. The Department of Transportation referred a query about the project to the White House, which said in an emailed reply through a spokesman: “We have had promising conversations to date, are committed to transformative infrastructure projects and believe our greatest solutions have often come from the ingenuity and drive of the private sector.”

In his replies, Musk let slip a few more thoughts.

“City center to city center in each case, with up to a dozen or more entry/exit elevators in each city,” he wrote.

Musk’s planned 29-minute trip is considerably shorter than the current options. About five hours by car, two hours and 45 minutes by train, and one hour and 15 minutes by air.

Musk-watchers have heard this before. Musk, a serial entrepreneur who was a co-founder of PayPal and the electric-car company Tesla Motors, first unveiled his idea for a similar plan in 2013 when he unveiled a project called the Hyperloop — a high-speed system that would take people to San Francisco from Los Angeles in 30 minutes. That would take a speed of almost 800 mph.

Reuters reported that engineers in the next few weeks will conduct a crucial test of the Hyperloop concept, an idea that would have passengers and cargo packed into pods and sent through an intercity system of vacuum tubes.

Hyperloop One, the Los-Angeles-based company developing the technology, is gearing up to send a 28-foot-long pod gliding across a set of tracks, Reuters quoted a spokeswoman, Marcy Simon, as saying. Simon did not immediately respond to an email Thursday.</s>Elon Musk, ever the visionary, has reportedly received "verbal approval" from the United States government to build a Hyperloop through New York City, Philidelphia, Baltimore, and Washington D.C. Musk's claim also references his Boring Company and Hyperloop merging to become one project—something he has hinted at in the past.

The Verge first reported on Musk's tweets surrounding the approval, however, it's unclear which government agency gave the approval. The Boring Company and the U.S. Department of Transportation have not responded to Musk's claims as of this writing. Musk also stated he plans to work on this newly approved project in concert with the first set of transportation tunnels planned for Los Angeles. Although L.A. has expressed interest and believes the project is technologically feasible, legal red tape still stands in the way.

Hyperloop and The Boring Company have been two separate projects for Musk, in addition to Tesla and SpaceX. Hyperloop has been Musk's vision of high-speed personal transport using an undisclosed system to move passengers at speeds over 800 mph; The Boring Company is largely focused on digging a network of tunnels that can be reinforced at the same time. For this first major project, Musk explicitly claims that The Boring Company received the approval for a Hyperloop tunnel, bringing the two companies together for a single project.

Musk said travel from New York City to Washington D.C. would take roughly 29 minutes from city center to city center. Up to a dozen additional entry/exit elevators for the Hyperloop would be built in each city as well.

Musk followed up his initial "approval" tweet with one to clarify that "a lot of work [is] needed to receive formal approval, but [I] am optimistic that will occur rapidly."

Skeptics have already jumped in to remind Musk that the U.S Department of Transportation, six states, 17 counties, numerous cities, and hundreds of elected officials must also approve as well. We'll wait and see what Musk's "verbal approval" actually means, but nothing has stood in the way of Musk's dreams yet.</s>New York to DC in half an hour.

Elon Musk -- the serial entrepreneur who heads Tesla (TSLA), SpaceX and now The Boring Company -- says he "just received verbal [government] approval" to build a new underground hyperloop network that can shuttle commuters betweenthe two cities in 29 minutes.

He made the announcement on Twitter, declaring his new super-fast transportation network will also have stops in Philadelphia and Baltimore, as well as "up to a dozen or more entry/exit elevators in each city."

It's not clear exactly who will build the tunnel.

While the hyperloop is Musk's idea, he hasn't taken on the project personally. Rather, he challenged other inventors to create it -- and a couple of companies have cropped up to tackle the challenge, most notably, Hyperloop One.

Related: All the quirky details you need to know about Elon Musk's Boring company

But the New York-DC hyperloop could also be the first major project for Musk's tunnel-digging company The Boring Company. He established the firm earlier this year to build an underground web of tunnels beneath Los Angeles, through which cars can travel up to 130 miles per hour on metal skates.

So far, The Boring Company has spawned many puns, but not much progress in terms of reaching Musk's goal.

Musk said during a TED conference in April that his tunneling company ties in closely with the hyperloop, since both require vacuum-sealed tunnels.

He actually mentioned an East Coast hyperloop at that conference, saying "If you were to do something like a DC-to-New York hyperloop, I think you'd probably want to go underground the entire way because it's a high-density area."

Musk added that his plan to keep the tunnel digging process from disturbing all the people above ground.

"You're going under a lot of buildings and houses, and if you go deep enough, you cannot detect the tunnel," he said.

One tweet Musk sent Thursday hinted it will at least be his boring company that digs the tunnel from New York to DC. He said he'll start the project "in parallel" with the LA tunnel network. But he didn't go so far as to say who will install the hyperloop.

And Musk hinted at even bigger ambitions once those projects are topped off, saying he wants to build a hyperloop between Los Angeles and San Francisco and another in Texas.

Both hyperloop and Musk's LA tunneling idea have been deemed longshot ideas -- but Musk does have a flare for bringing the impossible to life.

The Boring Company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.</s>The Boring Company founder Elon Musk has garnered verbal approval from the government to launch an underground Hyperloop.

The Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: ) and SpaceX boss founded The Boring Company to create a mode of transportation that would exceed the speeds of trains by a considerable margin. Now, a Hyperloop connecting major East Coast cities is one step closer towards becoming a reality.

“Just received verbal govt approval for The Boring Company to build an underground NY-Phil-Balt-DC Hyperloop. NY-DC in 29 mins,” Musk tweeted. Later on, he added that there’s still a lot of work to be done, but this is a step in the right direction.

The Hyperloop sends pods traveling at 700 miles per hour using magnetic levitation and an electric motor. “The pod quickly lifts above the track using magnetic levitation and glides at airline speeds for long distances due to ultra-low aerodynamic drag,” the company writes.

The East Coast one would travel from New York to Philadelphia, then Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, stopping at each of these city’s center. The trip from the Big Apple to the nation’s capital would only take 29 minutes on the Hyperloop.

Each station would have up to a dozen entry/exit elevators at the stations, Musk added. It is unclear what agency gave approval to The Boring Company when such a project could happen, or when construction might kick off.</s>Local governments were apparently caught off guard by Elon Musk's announcement this morning that he has received "verbal" approval to bore a tunnel from New York to Washington, D.C., for a high-speed underground train he calls the Hyperloop.

"Just received verbal govt approval for The Boring Company to build an underground NY-Phil-Balt-DC Hyperloop," the billionaire tweeted this morning, boasting that the 200-mile trip would take just 29 minutes.

But the New York City mayor's office and spokespeople from the D.C. and Pennsylvania Departments of Transportation all told ABC News they were not aware of any ongoing projects involving Musk.

The U.S. Department of Transportation referred ABC News' inquiry to the White House.

“We have had promising conversations to date, are committed to transformative infrastructure projects, and believe our greatest solutions have often come from the ingenuity and drive of the private sector," a White House spokesperson told ABC News.

Musk, also the CEO of rocket manufacturer SpaceX and electric auto giant Tesla and a co-founder of PayPal, served on the administration's advisory council until Trump pulled out of the Paris climate accords.

His tunnel-digging operation, "The Boring Company" (pun intended), has already broken ground on an underground shaft near his rocket company in California to circumvent gridlock in Los Angeles.

"I find holes in the ground exciting," Musk quipped at an engineering competition in January. "We’ll see how far we can get, we’re just sort of muddling along."

The inimitable entrepreneur first revealed his design for the Hyperloop -- a travel pod designed to speed through an underground pneumatic tube at around 800 miles per hour -- in 2013.

After completing Hyperloop tunnels in Los Angeles and the Northeastern corridor, he plans to continue digging, with tunnels connecting Los Angeles to San Francisco and a network inside Texas, he suggested on Twitter.

"Still a lot of work needed to receive formal approval, but am optimistic that will occur rapidly," Musk clarified a few hours after posting his first tweet.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk says he has received federal government approval for The Boring Company to build an underground 760mph Hyperloop that will connect New York City and Washington, D.C..