While Paris gears up to host the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in just over eight weeks, the Sunshine State is looking ahead to its own Olympic debut in eight years time. A total of $5.5 billion has been secured for Queensland’s long-awaited Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line, which promises to cut commute times to Brisbane by at least 45 minutes. This will be a game-changer for the Sunshine Coast’s rapidly growing population and will make life much smoother for athletes and residents when 2032 rolls around.
It’s now just a waiting game for Queenslanders, with construction of the first stage between Beerwah and Caloundra set to start in 2026 – more than 20 years since the state government first floated the idea in the late 1990s. This time, the project has secured sufficient funding, with the Federal Government matching the Queensland Government’s initial $2.75 billion investment. These funds will cover the first-stage 19km dual track from Beerwah to Caloundra, projected to cost between $5.5 billion and $7 billion.
Once complete, the train will reach speeds of up to 140 kilometres per hour, cutting at least 45 minutes off the commute time for those driving from the Sunshine Coast to Brisbane. Plans are in place for the construction of further rail connections past Caloundra to begin after the 2032 Olympics, with the final line stretching 37.8 kilometres to Maroochydore, stopping at Aroona, Birtinya and Mountain Creek. All aboard, because it's looking like a long journey until completion.
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