What is Inland Rail

Inland Rail is transforming how we move goods around Australia.

Connecting Melbourne and Brisbane via regional Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, this 1,700km rail project will complete our national freight network—better connecting producers to markets and creating new opportunities for businesses, industries and regional communities.

Shifting more goods from road onto rail is the right move for Australia

Inland Rail means freight can be delivered faster and more reliably to our growing population, and beyond to global markets. It also means safer, less congested roads and fewer carbon emissions.

Work on Australia’s largest freight rail infrastructure project – a priority infrastructure project for the Australian Government – is well underway, and we’re working with regional businesses and communities to make it happen.

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Did you know? 10 key Inland Rail facts

01.

Spanning more than 1,700km, Inland Rail is the largest freight rail project in Australia and one of the most significant infrastructure projects in the world.

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02

It comprises 13 individual projects across 36 local government areas: one project in Victoria, seven in New South Wales, and five in Queensland.

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03.

Inland Rail will upgrade 1,100km of existing rail line and build 600km of new track to connect missing links between Melbourne and Brisbane.

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04.

The track will enable the use of double-stacked, 1,800m-long trains with a 21-tonne axle load at a maximum speed of 115km/h, allowing for the transit of greater freight volumes. Each train could carry the equivalent freight volume of 110 B-double trucks.

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05.

It will take 467,016 tonnes of steel and 1,271,330 cubic metres of concrete to build and includes construction of a 6.2km tunnel through the steep terrain of the Toowoomba Range; the largest diameter diesel freight tunnel in the southern hemisphere.

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06.

Around 21,500 workers will play their part in building Inland Rail during peak construction.

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07.

Inland Rail will provide a consistent standard gauge connection from Melbourne to Brisbane as well as a dual gauge connection in Queensland to allow seamless connectivity with Queensland’s narrow-gauge network.

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08.

Almost 70% of freight carried on Inland Rail will be for domestic use – that includes household goods and food.

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09.

The Australian Government is investing up to $14.5 billion in equity for ARTC to build Inland Rail, in partnership with the private sector. Inland Rail is expected to deliver an economic boost of more than $18 billion to GDP during construction and the first 50 years of operation.

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10.

Once operational, Inland Rail will become part of ARTC’s freight rail network and complete the missing link in Australia’s supply chain. The new North West Connection at Parkes in New South Wales links Inland Rail to Brisbane, Melbourne and the East-West line to Perth – reducing the rail distance between Brisbane and Perth and Brisbane and Adelaide by 500km and ultimately connecting all of Australia.