Delivering Australia’s freight future.
Inland Rail will help Australia keep pace with the increasing freight demands of our growing population.
What is Inland Rail?
Inland Rail is an important project to meet Australia’s growing freight task, improve road safety and help decarbonise our economy.
Comprising 12 sections, Inland Rail involves upgrades or enhancement works to approximately 1,000km of existing track and construction of 600km of new track passing through regional Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.
The sections of Inland Rail between Beveridge in Victoria and Parkes in New South Wales are prioritised for completion by 2027.
Who is building Inland Rail?
Inland Rail Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC), is building Inland Rail on behalf of the Australian Government. As each section of Inland Rail is completed, it will be operated and managed by ARTC.
What is the purpose of Inland Rail?
Inland Rail will enhance our national freight and supply chain capabilities, connecting existing freight routes and supporting Australia’s growth.
As each section is completed, Inland Rail will better link businesses, manufacturers and producers to national and global markets and generate opportunities for industries and regions during construction and beyond.
Delivering Inland Rail will help shift more goods onto rail, meaning faster, more reliable freight; safer, less congested roads; and fewer emissions.
More Inland Rail Video
What is the status of the Inland Rail project?
Construction of Inland Rail is well underway in regional Victoria and New South Wales.
To manage the enormous scale of the largest freight rail infrastructure project in Australia, we are taking a staged approach to deliver Inland Rail. The route comprises 12 sections, some of which are already operational, some are being built now, while others are in the planning phase.
The sections between Beveridge, Victoria and Parkes, NSW are prioritised for completion by 2027. At the same time we are working to achieve environmental approvals and acquire land to secure the Inland Rail route north of Narromine.
South of Narromine:
The Parkes to Narromine (NSW) section was completed in 2020 and is now operational. The project involved the upgrade of 98.4km of existing rail track.
Major construction on the 176km Narrabri to North Star Phase 1 (NSW) section was finished in October, 2023. Freight trains are now running in this section.
Construction on the Stockinbingal to Parkes section in southern NSW has started.
Work is well underway on the Beveridge to Albury section in Victoria. The first of 12 sites at Murray Valley Highway, Barnawartha North is operational and the second site – a new bridge at Beaconsfield Parade, Glenrowan is close to complete.
North of Narromine:
We are working with the Australian and state governments to gain environmental approvals, secure land and refine designs so we can provide more certainty about the full cost and delivery of Inland Rail.
Inland Rail project teams in these areas will continue working closely with their communities to make sure we understand their concerns, action opportunities to reduce impacts and identify ways to create long-term community benefits.
What are the Inland Rail Sections?
There are 12 Inland Rail sections across three Australian states. Click on the state name to find out more.
Construction is underway in Victoria, and is prioritised for completion by 2027. Subscribe for updates.
Beveridge to Albury
Comprises 262km of existing track.
This section will be enhanced to increase height and width clearances to allow for double-stacked trains.
In New South Wales, the section from Parkes to Narromine is operational and major construction on the Narrabri to North Star Phase 1 section is completed. The NSW project areas south of Parkes are prioritised for completion by 2027. Subscribe for updates.
North Star to NSW/Qld Border
Comprises upgrades to approximately 25km of track within existing non-operational rail corridor and approximately 5km of new track within new rail corridor.
This section will complete one of the key missing rail links between New South Wales and Queensland, using the non-operational rail corridor or new track to connect to the operating line running to Yelarbon.
Narrabri to North Star
Comprises 184km of upgraded track and 2km of new track.
This section is divided into Phase 1 and Phase 2. Major construction on the Phase 1 section is complete and the Phase 2 section is in the environmental approvals phase.
Narromine to Narrabri
Comprises 306km of new rail corridor and track.
This new section will reduce the overall journey time and complete one of the missing rail links between Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane.
Parkes to Narromine
Comprises 98km of existing track and 5km of new track.
It is the first section of Inland Rail to be completed and accommodates double-stacked trains.
Stockinbingal to Parkes
Comprises 170km of existing track.
Inland Rail will benefit from the track upgrades ARTC has already completed to this section. Enhancement works will be undertaken to allow for double-stacked trains and a new crossing loop built to increase capacity on the line.
Illabo to Stockinbingal
Comprises 37km of new track and 2km of upgraded track.
The route bypasses the winding section of track called the Bethungra Spiral.
Albury to Illabo
Comprises 185km of existing track.
Inland Rail will benefit from the track upgrades ARTC has already completed to this section. Enhancements or modification works will be undertaken at locations to allow for safe clearance of double-stacked freight trains.
Planning, approval and pre-construction work is ongoing for sections in Queensland. Subscribe for updates.
Calvert to Kagaru
Comprises 53km of new dual gauge track within existing rail corridor.
This section includes 39km of dual-gauge track allowing single-stacked operations between a proposed terminal at Ebenezer and Kagaru.
Using 1.1km of tunnelling, this section will connect Inland Rail with the existing Sydney to Brisbane coastal line and the Port of Brisbane.
Helidon to Calvert
Comprises 28km of new dual gauge track.
This section will cross the Lockyer Valley floodplain and the Little Liverpool Range with a 850m tunnel.
Gowrie to Helidon
Comprises 28km of new dual gauge track.
This section will traverse the steep terrain of the Toowoomba Range and will include a 6.2km tunnel.
NSW/Qld Border to Gowrie
Comprises 217km of dedicated single track featuring approximately 149km of new rail corridor and 68km of existing open access rail corridor.
Did you know? 10 key Inland Rail facts
01: Spanning more than 1,600km, Inland Rail is the largest freight rail project in Australia and one of the most significant rail infrastructure projects in the world.
02: It comprises 12 individual sections across 30 local government areas: one section in Victoria, seven in New South Wales, and four in Queensland.
03: Inland Rail will upgrade 1,000km of existing rail line and build 600km of new track to connect Melbourne and Brisbane via regional Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.
04: Inland Rail will reduce traffic congestion by taking tens of thousands of large trucks off our roads each year.
05: Inland Rail will cut rail freight travel time between Melbourne and Brisbane by almost a third – down from 33 hours to less than 24 hours – making it competitive with road.
06: One section of Inland Rail includes construction of a 6.2km tunnel through the steep terrain of the Toowoomba Range. It will be the largest diameter diesel freight tunnel in the southern hemisphere.
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.
08: Almost 70% of freight carried on Inland Rail will be for domestic use – that includes household goods and food.
09: The track will enable the use of double-stacked freight trains up to 1.8km long, with a 21-tonne axle load and a maximum speed of 115km/h. Inland Rail will allow for the transit of greater freight volumes, with each 1.8km-long train capable of carrying up to the equivalent of 110 B-double trucks. Note: 39km of track between a proposed intermodal terminal at Ebenezer and Kagaru in Queensland will accommodate single-stacked trains only.
10: Once each section of Inland Rail is completed it becomes part of ARTC’s freight rail network and enhances Australia’s supply chain. The already-completed 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.
Unlocking freight opportunities
Inland Rail is transforming how goods are moved around our vast country, creating more opportunities for regions to connect to cities, and for businesses to connect to markets.
Inland Rail frequently asked questions
Yes, Inland Rail is still going ahead.
After the Independent Review by the Australian Government in 2023, it was determined that the construction of projects south of Parkes in New South Wales would be prioritised for completion by 2027 (the Parkes to Narromine section is already finished). It was also decided that the Inland Rail double-stacked service offering would run between proposed freight intermodal terminals in Beveridge, Victoria, and Ebenezer, in Queensland, with single-stacked trains able to pass through Ebenezer to Kagaru to connect with the existing Sydney to Brisbane coastal line.
Some sections of Inland Rail are complete and operational.
Learn more about how Inland Rail will be used.
You can also download a higher resolution version of the Inland Rail Map (pictured below).
Full alignment of the 1,600km Inland Rail freight line from Melbourne to Brisbane.
About 280 km of line has been completed (as of May 2024).
As Inland Rail is such a large project – stretching 1,600km across three states – construction has been divided into 12 sections, with a focus on completing the sections between Parkes, NSW and Beveridge, Vic by 2027.
All sections are in various stages of approval and construction. When a section is completed, it is handed over to ARTC, the operator of the line, and becomes operational.
The purpose of Inland Rail is to carry freight trains on an inland route through regional communities between Melbourne and Brisbane.
Inland Rail has been designed to enhance our national freight and supply chain capabilities, by connecting existing freight routes through rail, roads and ports.
Inland Rail means freight can be delivered faster and more reliably across Australia, and beyond to global markets. It also means safer, less congested roads and fewer carbon emissions.
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.
Read more about the benefits of Inland Rail.
The Australian Government is providing funding for the construction of Inland Rail.
Inland Rail Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC), is building Inland Rail, on behalf of the Australian Government.
ARTC operates and maintains the nation’s freight network on behalf of the Australian Government.
When a section of the Inland Rail line is finished, Inland Rail Pty Ltd ‘commissions’ (hands over) that section to ARTC so it can be used by freight operators.
The Inland Rail railway line starts at Beveridge, Victoria, about 50km north of Melbourne, and ends at Kagaru, Queensland, about 60km south-east of Brisbane.
Inland Rail will carry freight trains.
About 70% of freight carried by trains on the Inland Rail line will be for domestic use, such as household goods and food. It’s designed to traverse major food and agricultural producing areas of three states, helping to distribute these vital goods to capital city and export markets in an efficient way.
Yes, Inland Rail is the largest single rail project in Australia.
The route stretches 1,600km from Beveridge in Victoria, to Kagaru, in Queensland. A project this big will take many years to complete, so the work has been divided into 12 sections.
The decision to run passenger services on the Inland Rail line is a matter for each State Government along the alignment, or for private operators, to determine in the future.
Inland Rail Pty Ltd has been commissioned by the Australian Government to design and construct Inland Rail primarily for double-stacked freight trains. These trains will be able to carry very large volumes of goods between intermodal terminals near Melbourne and Brisbane, and will also pick up and deliver freight to communities along its route.
Learn more about how Inland Rail will be used.
