For subscribers
Australia plans 1,700km high-speed rail to connect east coast’s swelling population
Sign up now: Get insights on Asia's fast-moving developments
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (left) has presented high-speed rail as a way to grow the economy and cut carbon emissions.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
SYDNEY – For decades, Australia has toyed with the idea of building a high-speed rail (HSR) line in its densely populated east coast, but the proposal has been repeatedly shelved due to fears about the construction cost and the scale of the project.
Now, the ruling Labor Party appears to have finally set the nation on track to undertake the ambitious project, beginning with a 165km line in the state of New South Wales between Sydney and Newcastle that could be ready by 2037.
