The cost of liquid helium plant helium used as a coolant to create superconductivity is also very high, but if superconductors can be improved to achieve superconductors operating at temperatures high enough for liquid nitrogen, then the costs will be cut by a factor of 100. Research in achieving superconductivity at higher temperatures is ongoing and offers some hope that costs could be reduced in years to come.
Shielding is required to protect passengers from the strong magnetic fields that would otherwise interfere with watches, cell phones and pacemakers. If the carriages are eye-wateringly expensive, the tracks are even worse – the main expense is the elevated concrete guide-way with embedded aluminum loops and magnets.
Part of the reason for the astronomic price is the huge infrastructure cost associated with the technology. The trains are currently exploiting superconductivity to generate high currents and hence create extremely strong magnetic Cryopump factories fields.