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If you’ve ever taken the train between Sydney and Canberra, you’ve probably had the time to read the entire Harry Potter series, write your own great novel and wonder whether jogging between the two capitals might actually be faster. On a bad day, this commute can take up to 4.5 hours – far slower than a flight, a bus or simply driving yourself. But change is finally on track!
The Sydney-to-Canberra rail link is set for a $100-million upgrade in a bid to cut the travel time to less than four hours. The Federal Government has announced it will allocate $50 million towards the project as part of its 2026–27 budget, with the ACT and NSW governments matching the commitment by contributing $25 million each.
“More than 3,000 people travel between Sydney and Canberra by air or coach every day, with tens of thousands more driving down the Federal Highway,” says Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King, who is excited to help deliver a faster, more frequent rail alternative.
Upgrades to the 321-kilometre corridor are scheduled to begin this year and continue for up to five years. The works will span the Sydney Trains-operated line between Sydney Central Station and Macarthur, the ARTC-operated Southern Line through the Southern Highlands to Goulburn, and the UGL Regional Linx-operated Country Regional Network (CRN) branch line into Canberra.
The immediate focus of the improvements will target the rail line between Goulburn and Canberra, with early works set to deliver new boom gates and lights at level crossings, adjustments to track alignments and turnouts, alongside station and stabling upgrades.
Future stages will likely focus on shifting track layouts, upgrading stations and storage facilities, straightening winding sections of track and investigating new express services. Crucially, these infrastructure upgrades will not only enable faster, more reliable travel between Sydney and Canberra, but also prime the line for the arrival of new regional trains later this decade. Choo, choo – let's get this show on the track!