Newcastle to Sydney High Speed Rail progresses to Development Phase

The next major milestone in the delivery of Australia’s High Speed Rail has been announced by the Albanese Government.

The development phase for High Speed Rail between Newcastle and Sydney, New South Wales is now underway and this is a significant step towards the delivery of faster, more reliable rail transport that will transform how those in Newcastle, Hunter and Central Coast region live, work and travel.

Building High Speed Rail between Newcastle and Sydney will help reduce travel times to around one hour from Newcastle to Central Sydney, while travelling from the Central Coast to either Sydney or Newcastle will be reduced to just 30 minutes.

Approximately $659.6 million has been allocated towards the two-year development phase, which will ensure that Line 1 is construction ready. Infrastructure Australia has recommended this detailed work which is required to lock in the design, approvals process, scope and cost to ensure major construction contracts can be awarded.

The disciplined approach to planning and construction sequencing is necessary to deliver a project of this size. A range of potential public and private financing options will also be assessed as part of the Development Phase, and in turn this will inform a future Government investment decision once the project scope, cost and risk are finalised.

“High Speed Rail between Newcastle and Sydney will change the way people live, work and travel in our country’s most populous region. It will connect the Newcastle and Central Coast communities to Sydney in a way that has never been done before.

“The Albanese Government is focused on delivery. This development phase will lay te foundations for delivery of High Speed Rail between Newcastle and Sydney, ensuring we secure the rail corridor and undertake detailed planning before we start building.

“Carefully planned, costed and detailed preparation takes time, but it means when construction starts, it is built to last,” Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King said.

A business case for the project prepared by the High Speed Rail Authority has also been released.

The business case highlights that the project will boost the Australian economy by $250 billion over the next five decades as well as produce more than 99,000 new jobs, supporting sectors like construction, advanced manufacturing and tourism.

Source: Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government; Infrastructure Magazine