Passengers have travelled in the Virgin Hyperloop for the first time — riding the system's levitating pod through a vacuum tube at speeds of over 100 mph.

The test run yesterday served as a key safety demonstration for the technology, which Richard Branson's Virgin group hopes will revolutionise transportation.

Virgin Hyperloop Chief Technology Officer Josh Giegel and Director of Passenger Experience Sara Luchian took the ride at the firm's Las Vegas test site. 

The pod took a mere 15 seconds to travel down the 0.3 miles (500 metres) -long vacuum tube which has been constructed in the Nevada desert.

'I had the true pleasure of seeing history made before my very eyes,' said Virgin Hyperloop chair Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem.

'We are one step closer to ushering in a new era of ultra-fast, sustainable movement of people and goods,' he added.

'For the past few years, the Virgin Hyperloop team has been working on turning its ground breaking technology into reality,' said Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson. 

'With today's successful test, we have shown that this spirit of innovation will in fact change the way people everywhere live, work, and travel in the years to come.'