Bullet-train plan picks up speed

NEW WAY: France's high speed train TGV (Train Grande Vitesse). Source: Supplied

TRAIN passengers could travel from Brisbane to Sydney in less than three hours at prices similar to airfares under a proposed east-coast high-speed rail link, a study has found.

Express trains between the two capital cities would take two hours and 37 minutes, with passengers hurtling along at speeds of up to 350km/h.

The $114 billion, 1748km link would follow the coast between Brisbane and Sydney and then head inland between Sydney and Melbourne.

The link would include connections to Canberra and the Gold Coast and regional stops including Shepparton, Albury Wodonga and Wagga Wagga.

The French V150 TGV speeds under a bridge filled with reporters and onlookers, breaking the world speed record near Grigny in eastern France in 2007. The train reached 574.8kph.

Part two of the Federal Government's high-speed rail report released today found:

The link be built and operated in two stages - Sydney to Melbourne and Brisbane to Sydney.

Construction could start as early as 2022, with the first section opening in 2030 and the final in 2053;

France's TGV train at Gare du Nord station in Paris.

Up to 84 million people could use the train each year by 2065, more than half of who would normally fly;

The Melbourne to Sydney leg is expected to be the busiest; with about 19 million trips a year;

Governments would have to fund the majority of the upfront costs, with the estimated real financial rate of return expected to be 0.8 per cent.

A CRH high-speed train leaves China's Beijing South Station for Shanghai.

A 67km tunnel would need to be built around Sydney.

The study, which was promised by Labor at the 2010 election, has been put to state governments for comment.

Federal Transport and Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese said high-speed rail had the potential to be a "game changer" but also posed technical, logistical and financial challenges.

Amtrak's Acela Express train departs Washington's Union Station.

"That's why we must take a deliberate, thoughtful approach and this report provides a comprehensive analysis on which an informed public debate is now possible," Mr Albanese said.

The report also found commuters could travel from Brisbane to Coffs Harbour in one hour and 11 minutes, Brisbane to Newcastle in two hours and 28 minutes and Brisbane to the NSW Central Coast in two hours and 43 minutes.

East coast travel is forecast to double from 152 million trips a year in 2009 to 355 million trips by 2065, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Public consultation on the report, which was prepared by a consortium lead by consultants AECOM, is open until June 30.

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