Indicative costs
Related News
The Federal Government has released the first stage of the Australian Government’s High Speed Rail Implementation Study.
The study shows the Central Coast Corridor as a part of a 120km Newcastle - Sydney link in 1600 kilometres of new track that would be laid between Melbourne and Brisbane at a probable cost of more than $100 billion.
The Study’s first stage was conducted by an AECOM led consortium comprising KPMG, Sinclair Knight Merz and Grimshaw Architects. The contract for the second and final stage is currently out to tender.
The study suggests that the Sydney to Newcastle section could be achieved by 2036 at an estimated cost of between $10.7billion - $17.9billion and provide a 40 minute travel time, with the Central Coast to Sydney leg estimated to take 20 minutes at speeds up to 350Km/h
Based on this preliminary work, an eastern seaboard network connecting Brisbane to Melbourne via Sydney and a range of regional centres is expected to:
- Cost between $61 billion and $108 billion to build and involve laying more than 1,600 kilometres of new standard-gauge, double-track.
- Achieve speeds of up 350 kilometres per hour and offer journey times as low as 3 hours from Sydney to Brisbane, and just 40 minutes from Sydney to Newcastle.
- Carry around 54 million passengers a year by 2036 including, for example, about half those who would have flown between Sydney and Melbourne - currently the world’s fifth busiest air corridor.
- Offer competitive ticket prices, with one way fares from Brisbane to Sydney costing $75 - $177; Sydney to Melbourne $99 - $197; and $16.50 for daily commuters between Newcastle and Sydney.
- Cut carbon pollution, with emissions per passenger a third of what a car emits and each full train - 450 passengers - equivalent to taking 128 cars off the road.
With the release of this study, the Federal Government has taken the first step towards progressing the vision of a modern, high speed rail network connecting two-thirds of Australians and providing a new foundation for a low carbon, high productivity economy.
Deborah O'Neill Member for Robertson, welcomed today’s release of the first stage of the High Speed Rail Implementation Study. "This is the most serious examination of high speed rail in our nation’s history, and puts some steel into a dream that many Australians have had for decades."
"The sheer scale of the project – Central Coast Corridor part of the - is breath-taking, tremendously expensive, technically difficult, and definitely for the long term. I have no doubt though that if we can make it happen, the future of the Central Coast as a prosperous and thriving region will be assured. Imagine the implications of an estimated two million commuting trips by High Speed Rail a year between Gosford and Sydney? Imagine if that journey took only around 20 minutes to get to the centre of Sydney?. This is what the study suggests could be achievable by 2036."
Deborah O'Neill said "The preliminary study identifies possible “short-list stations” on the Central Coast at Kariong and Ourimbah. Before anyone gets too carried away though, can I stress the preliminary nature of this study. A full 12 month geotechnical study of corridor options is ahead of us, let alone any decisions about funding."
In the meanwhile, the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Anthony Albanese is encouraging communities to provide their feedback of the work so far by making submissions to a dedicated High Speed Rail Unit within his Department via the following website: www.infrastructure.gov.au/rail/trains/high_speed/index.aspx
A full copy of the Stage One report can be downloaded from: www.infrastructure.gov.au/rail/trains/high_speed/index.aspx.
Like BI on Facebook
Follow BI on Twitter
Subscribe to the BI Feed