Global engineering and construction firm Bechtel has been announced as the delivery partner for the development phase of the project to deliver high-speed rail between Newcastle and Sydney.

Over the next two years, Bechtel will help to progress planning, design, procurement, and delivery readiness activities before construction starts on the multi-billion-dollar project.

The first phase of high-speed rail in Australia will link Sydney to Newcastle, cutting travel times from almost three hours down to one hour.

In the future, the high-speed network would see trains running from Brisbane to Melbourne, through Sydney and Canberra, while also serving regional communities across the East Coast.

Bechtel is also the delivery partner for the new Western Sydney International Airport, where it has managed the design and construction of the $5.3 billion project.

Dr. Richard Freer, Managing Director of Public Infrastructure, Australia at Bechtel said the company is proud to partner with the High Speed Rail Authority.

“This award reflects our deep global rail experience and capabilities, coupled with over 70 years of delivering some of the most impactful projects across Australia,” he said.

“We look forward to working closely with the High Speed Rail Authority to help turn the vision of high-speed rail into reality for Australians.”