The Australian government has allocated around EUR 402 million (AUD 659.6 million) for the development phase of the Newcastle – Sydney high-speed rail (HSR) line. This phase will finalise the routing and design, expedite environmental and planning approvals, secure land, as well as prepare for procurement. Public and private financing options will also be evaluated until a final investment decision is made. The High Speed Rail Authority (HSRA) has published the business case. The HSR line is planned as dedicated infrastructure for speeds of up to 320 km/h, with journey times of around one hour between Newcastle and Sydney and about 30 minutes between the Central Coast and Newcastle or Sydney. Stations are planned at Newcastle (Broadmeadow), Lake Macquarie (Morisset), Gosford, Sydney Central, Parramatta, and Western Sydney International Airport. The plan includes 115 km of twin-tube tunnels, 38 km of bridges and viaducts, and 41 km of above-ground track. The trains are planned to have roughly 520 seats in standard and business class.
