Sydney to Melbourne by train in under two hours: $200 billion high-speed rail now a step closer with deals struck with landholders along the 900km route
- Consolidated Land and Rail Network announced the plans on Wednesday
- Company has secured rights for over 40 per cent of land needed on route
- Rail network would stop at eight new inland cities between three capitals
- Train options include some of fastest in world from Japan, France, China
A high-speed train linking cities on Australia's east coast is one step closer after the company behind the $200 billion project secured land deals in regional hubs.
The company, which wants to build the 900km line connecting Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney in just two hours has met with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and the Victorian and New South Wales governments to seek support for the project, reported The Australian.
The plan would connect Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra and see the construction of eight new inland cities built between the capital cities.
Scroll down for video
A map showing the 915km proposed high-speed rail route from Melbourne to Canberra to Sydney
If the world's fastest trains, such as the Japanese super conducting magnetic levitation train, France's TGV or China's HSR, were used, the travel time for the 915km route could be as little as 110 minutes.
Work on the project could begin within five years if it wins support from the government and the communities who will be affected.
The Australian reported that Consolidated Land and Rail Network (CLARA) has been negotiating with property owners for the past 12 months.
Share this article
They have secured legal rights over 40 per cent of the land needed for the development, more than 16,000 hectares, through option agreements signed with about 70 land owners.
CLARA chairman Nick Cleary said the infrastructure could be paid for from the city development rather than government funds.
He said the business model would be privately funded through the use of land value capture.
An image from Consolidated Land and Rail Australian showing the high-speed train approaching Sydney
One of the train options is France's TGV (pictured) which has a rail network extending across Europe including Switzerland and Italy, France to Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom (the Eurostar)
Another train option is the HSR in China (pictured) which has the world's longest network with more than 19,000km of track, with trains that can reach speeds of up to 380 km/h (240 mph)
'Not only is CLARA seeking to build the world's largest high-speed rail infrastructure to date, the rail network is just part of a wider plan providing a quantum leap forward for the development of inland Australia,' Mr Cleary said.
Mr Cleary said the planned new cities, designed to reduce the pressure on the growing populations in Sydney and Melbourne, would be 'stand-alone, sustainable, smart and designed from the internet-up'.
The plan has support from Australian and US businesspeople on an advisory board.
This includes former Victorian premier Steve Bracks, former NSW premier Barry O'Farrell and former US secretary of transportation Ray LaHood.
Most watched News videos
- Moment plane's landing gear sparks with flames and detaches itself
- Mother of British teen in gang rape case says she is 'suffering'
- Hezbollah leader says retaliation should not target American civilians
- Man in Gateshead chews parking ticket before hurling it at warden
- Buddhist monk distracted by cat during five-hour prayers
- Britain's worst serial rapist prowls streets for victims on CCTV
- Thousands take part in funeral procession for General Soleimani
- Piers Morgan rants about vegans and bees on Good Morning Britain
- Ricky Gervais makes controversial joke about Jeffrey Epstein
- Soleimani's replacement vows revenge for US killing
- Traffic police signal in sync with Pump It Up playing on the radio
- Massive crowds gather as the body of Soleimani arrives for funeral
