Prime Minister Scott Morrison to announce $2b fast rail between Melbourne and Geelong

A vision of “fast rail” links for Victoria would slash a Geelong to Melbourne trip to just over 30 minutes. But there’s one suburb in Melbourne’s west that’s set to benefit if the $4 billion project gets ticked off.

A 200kmh bullet train halving travel times between Melbourne and Geelong will form the centrepiece of a $2 billion Budget commitment from the federal government.

The nation’s first high-speed rail project would cut the journey between Southern Cross Station and Geelong to 32 minutes, and would connect to the Melbourne Metro now being built and the planned Airport Rail Link.

Construction is likely to begin within 18 months.

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The European-style Geelong link, estimated to cost at least $4 billion and expected to take 10 years to complete, will require matching funding from the Victorian government.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison will unveil his promise on Friday, while stumping up another $40 million to kickstart a 20-year vision of “fast rail” links to Traralgon, in the state’s east, and ­Wodonga, in the northeast.

Mr Morrison told the Herald Sun the investment would return time to commuters and enable more people to live in the regions.

It would also help ease the gridlock on the West Gate Bridge and Princes Freeway, which carries more than 54,000 cars and trucks every day.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the fast train investment will return time to commuters and enable more people to live in the regions. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

The Prime Minister said: “This is all part of our plan to manage population growth that I announced this week, to take the pressure off our big cities like Melbourne and make our regional cities like Geelong even more attractive places to live and work.

“As our population grows, fast rail networks are crucial to easing the congestion pressures in our cities and shaping Australia’s future.”

The government will create a National Fast Rail Agency to work with states, the private sector, and local communities to determine priorities and oversee fast-rail projects.

The fast trains would travel at average speeds of 160kmh, and would use the new track to be built from Southern Cross to Sunshine as part of the rail link to Melbourne airport. They would stop at Sunshine station, before likely running express to Geelong.

The entire line from Sunshine to Geelong will have to be upgraded, and there would be a big revamp of Geelong railway station. A business case would consider whether the fast trains would stop at other stations along the way.

Though tipped to finish by 2030, the project could be completed sooner, depending on how quickly the airport rail link is completed.

The project builds on the $1.6 billion injection by the Commonwealth into Victoria’s ageing regional rail network which includes extra services, upgrades of stations, and faster trips to all corners of the state.

It could also link into the Andrews Government’s ambitious suburban rail loop, which aims to connect every major Melbourne railway line.

The project could boost the government’s chances of retaining the seat of Corangamite, held by Sarah Henderson by just 0.03 per cent.

Labor, which also has an ambitious high-speed rail agenda, will be under pressure to honour the commitment should it win May’s election.