Australia has released a study on a high-speed rail network that would connect the major cities on the country's east coast at an estimated cost of A$114bn ($120bn).
The proposed 1,748km high-speed rail line would link Melbourne to Brisbane via Canberra and Sydney with expected completion in 2065.Australia has released a study on a high-speed rail network to connect cities on its east coast at an estimated cost of A$114bn ($120bn).
The proposed 1,748km high-speed rail line would link Melbourne to Brisbane via Canberra and Sydney with expected completion in 2065.
The scope of work under the project would include the construction of an electrified, standard-gauge, double-track line with trains operating at a top speed of 350km/h.
Around 144km of tunnels would need to be built, of which 67km would be under Sydney and its surrounding districts.
The proposed high-speed line would pass through four capital city stations, four city-peripheral stations, and stations at the Gold Coast, Casino, Grafton, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Taree, Newcastle, the Central Coast, Southern Highlands, Wagga Wagga, Albury-Wodonga and Shepparton.
"The proposed 1,748km high-speed rail line would link Melbourne to Brisbane via Canberra and Sydney with expected completion in 2065."
Australian Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Anthony Albanese said: "Such a network has the potential to deliver a net economic benefit and generate sufficient revenue to cover its operating and asset renewal costs."
The study reveals that construction of the first phase of the line between Sydney and Canberra will not start until 2027, with trains likely to run on the first stretch of track in 2035, reducing travel time from the current four hours to 64 minutes.
After completion of the line, travel time from Sydney to Brisbane would be reduced from the current 13 hours to just over two and a half hours, while the journey between Sydney and Melbourne would be cut from 12 hours to under three hours.
Once fully operational the rail line would transport 84 million passengers per year, with 19 million trips between Sydney and Melbourne.
The study was prepared for the Australian government by an Aecom-led consortium comprising Grimshaw Architects, KPMG, Sinclair Knight Merz, Acil Tasman, Booz & Co and Hyder.
Image: Phase one of the High Speed Rail) study was released in August 2011. Photo: courtesy of Commonwealth of Australia.
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