NSW Labor commits $6.8 billion to South Coast rail upgrade
NSW Labor promises $6.8 billion to electrify South Coast rail and add extra tracks for faster travel.
NSW Labor has committed $6.8 billion to upgrade the South Coast rail line if re-elected in 2028. The plan will fully electrify the section between Kiama and Bomaderry, allowing passengers to travel from Sydney to Nowra without changing to a diesel train.
Passing loops and extra tracks between Wollongong and Kiama will allow trains to overtake each other more easily. The tracks between Hurstville and Sutherland will be doubled to separate passenger and freight services.
The upgrade is described as the largest heavy rail commitment in generations for the Illawarra region. Planning is expected to start in 2027, with construction completed by the mid to late 2030s.
The commitment revives a pledge first made by Labor at the 2005 NSW election. The announcement came days after the government scrapped an unpopular timetable change that commuters had criticised for longer journey times.
- $6.8 billion
- Total investment
- $621 million
- Prep work funding
- Mid to late 2030s
- Expected completion
- Almost 30 per cent
- Passenger demand growth by 2041
Why it mattersElectrifying the line would dramatically cut journey times for Illawarra commuters and reduce reliance on diesel trains, but benefits won't arrive until the mid-2030s.
AustraliaSouth Coast and Illawarra commuters could see faster rail services with no need for diesel trains, but they'll have to wait roughly a decade for construction to finish.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 2 h ago
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