Sydney-Canberra rail line to get major funds injection
Budget will allocate massive investment to begin process to upgrade the corridor and speed up travel times.
A Federal Government commitment to upgrades for the Sydney-Canberra rail corridor will help unlock housing growth across the region, according to the Property Council of Australia.
It is reported that Tuesday’s Federal Budget will include $50 million in Commonwealth funding, matched by $25 million each from the ACT and NSW Governments, to deliver early works and planning to improve performance on the long-neglected corridor.
Property Council ACT and Capital Region executive director Ashlee Berry said the funding commitment aligns directly with calls the Property Council made earlier this year for a staged upgrade of the corridor to cut journey times and modernise the line.
“This is exactly the conversation we’ve been pushing – Canberra and the surrounding region can’t afford to keep falling behind when it comes to national rail investment,” Berry said.
“In February, we said the Sydney–Canberra corridor needed serious, coordinated investment. This announcement shows that the message is being heard.”
Berry said the initial funding would support priority works to improve safety, reliability and journey times, while also progressing planning and design for the next phase of upgrades.
“Early works and proper planning are critical to delivering real improvements,” Berry said.
“Improving the performance of this line is about more than passenger convenience. It’s about national productivity, housing supply and sustainable growth.”
“A faster, more reliable service would better connect businesses, workers and Commonwealth agencies with Australia’s largest economic centre, while opening up new opportunities for housing around station precincts,” she said.
“The current service is simply too slow and unreliable to compete with driving or flying. Upgrading the line is about giving people a genuine, low‑carbon alternative and supporting growth along the corridor.
“We welcome this first step and look forward to working constructively with all levels of government to make sure this investment translates into faster journeys, more homes and stronger economic links between Sydney, Canberra and the regions in between.”
