Three construction consortia have been shortlisted to advance the detailed planning for the Newcastle to Sydney High-Speed Rail project in Australia.
The selected groups are the Acciona John Holland joint venture (JV); the Advanced Alliance JV comprising Gamuda Engineering, FCC Construction and Samsung C&T Corporation; and the GoFar JV formed by CPB Contractors, Ferrovial Construction and VINCI Construction Grands Projects.
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According to the High Speed Rail Authority, the selected bidders will participate in the early contractor involvement (ECI) process for Area Package 1, a section between Berowra and Ourimbah in New South Wales.
This segment of the project involves the construction of approximately 35km of twin tunnels using tunnel boring machines, as well as the Central Coast High Speed Rail Station at Gosford.
Works will also include the installation of rail and station systems, and other related infrastructure along the corridor.
Australia Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King said: “The three consortia will determine the best and most innovative ways to drive tunnels between Berowra and Ourimbah while ensuring Australians get value for money.”
The ECI process aims to sharpen the project’s costings, programme timeframes, and design options before any major construction contract is issued.
Construction awards will only follow the government’s final investment decision after the development phase is complete.
As part of the planning, the consortia are expected to integrate advanced manufacturing practices, including automation and robotics, to support efficient delivery and create skilled Australian jobs through a dedicated facility.
In a separate but related development, three global rail industry JVs, namely Alstom/UGL, ARC, and Hitachi Rail STS Australia, have been named to participate in the development phase for the project’s rolling stock and high-speed rail systems.
These groups will compete to design trains capable of connecting Newcastle and Sydney in around one hour on the new dedicated line.
The planned high-speed rail system is expected to reduce travel time between Newcastle and Sydney to approximately one hour, with trips between the Central Coast and either city projected to take around 30 minutes.
