A revised route through Sydney is now recommended:
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Running north-south through Sydney to minimise the length of tunnels,
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Locating the main HSR station at Rosehill to boost Parramatta as Sydney’s second city, and
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Stops at Epping, Liverpool, Glenfield and Campbelltown to increase connectivity for the Sydney urban area
The route through Sydney proposed in the 2013 High-Speed Rail Study was the most expensive part of the whole corridor. It included 90 km of tunnels and went into Central as a terminating station for both Melbourne and Brisbane services.
Since 2013, Sydney has grown, particularly to the west and south-west, and new Metro lines are being built.
The Discussion Paper proposes a new route through Sydney via Olympic Park that has many advantages, including:
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Provision of a new fast north-south rail corridor through Sydney, ultimately linking Newcastle to Canberra
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Lower capital cost of around $6 billion by eliminating 13km of tunnel
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Better access to high speed services from western Sydney with connections to the emerging east-west metro network at Epping, Olympic Park, Lidcombe, Bankstown and Glenfield
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Improved access to Sydney from the Central Coast and Southern Highlands using fast regional commuter trains
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Ability to accommodate fast freight trains on parts of the high speed line at night
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Reduced operating costs by using stabling and maintenance facilities at Flemington
This report details why the new route is needed, together with alignment, operations and station designs.
Addendum
Since the discussion paper was published, the NSW Government has announced a new Metro station to be included in the redevelopment of the Rosehill racecourse. This has opened the opportunity to locate an integrated an HSR station in the Rosehill redevelopment with less complex engineering required than at either Parramatta or Olympic Park.