How Long Does It Take A Submarine To Reach The Titanic?

The Titanic ship's sinking, even a century later, continues to live in our cultural consciousness. A symbol of human tragedy, heroism, and ambition, the wreckage lying deep on the sea floor is now seen as a valuable time capsule capturing the opulence of a luxurious past. As such, it attracts expeditions of all kinds, both recreational and scientific. Lying at a depth of approximately 12,500 feet (roughly 3,800 meters), reaching it is no easy task, but thanks to modern submersible technology, it is possible to observe it up close at a treacherous depth.

So, how long is the journey? Nearly the same as a cinematic flick. According to RMS Titanic Inc., which is tasked with the preservation of the wreckage and holds exclusive salvage rights, it takes two to three hours to reach the famed ship's underwater remnants. And the company knows a thing or two about such expeditions — since 1987, it's spearheaded eight scientific missions to explore and recover relics from the site.

The expeditions have recovered everything from perfume vials made in the Edwardian era to engine parts. One of these expeditions in 1998 marked the first live television broadcast of the sunken ship. On its most recent expedition in 2024, the RMS Titanic team captured hours of footage, millions of pictures, and rediscovered the bronze statue depicting the Roman goddess Diana. This happened merely a year ahead of the Titan sub tragedy, which was also headed for the historical wreckage.

It may only take a few hours to reach the Titanic's resting place on the sea floor off the coast of Newfoundland, but it's still not easy to reach. The implosion of the Titan sub, despite having made the journey over a dozen times, proved that the trip still constitutes a huge risk in itself. The journey is quite nerve-wracking, too, as it involves descending into nearly total darkness for a couple of hours.

Submersible vehicles make their way to the Titanic's wreckage using detailed maps and sonar navigation, guided further by inertial navigation to keep an estimate of speed and depth with respect to the floor. The ship rests at a depth of about 2.4 miles (3.8 kilometers), where the water pressure is roughly 40 Megapascals (400 bar) — over 390 times the pressure you'd feel at sea level and roughly 200 times the average air pressure inside a car tyre. To operate at that depth, you need an immensely resilient vessel, which is a massive (and expensive) engineering challenge.

Then there's the challenge posed by underwater currents and sediment blocking visibility. Changes on the sea surface can be felt all the way down to the sea floor. Winds on the surface, density variation due to temperature and salt concentration, and unpredictable benthic storms can all affect navigation plans as one inches closer to the sea bed. 

In a nutshell, without expert guidance, meticulous planning, and some favor from Lady Luck, ensuring a safe trip to the Titanic wreckage is not easy.