Companies news
Keolis-led partnership appointed as operations adviser for Australia’s High Speed Rail
Keolis-led partnership appointed to advise Australia’s Newcastle–Sydney high-speed rail project on operations and maintenance.
- Keolis has been appointed as the Business, Operations and Maintenance Adviser to the Australian Government’s High Speed Rail Authority for the Newcastle to Sydney High Speed Rail project.
- Keolis will lead a partnership comprising SNCF and CERTIFER to support the project’s Development Phase, combining global High Speed Rail expertise with local capability.
- The partnership will act as HSRA’s shadow operator and maintainer during the Development Phase, helping ensure operational, maintenance and customer requirements inform project development from the outset.
The Australian Government’s High Speed Rail Authority (HSRA) has appointed a partnership led by Keolis as its Business, Operations and Maintenance Adviser (BOMA) for the Newcastle to Sydney High Speed Rail project.
Global high speed rail expertise supporting local delivery
As lead partner, Keolis will provide overall program leadership and transport integration expertise, drawing on almost two decades of transport operations in Australia and the global expertise of SNCF Group, one of the world's most experienced rail organisations. Through its partnership with SNCF and CERTIFER, Keolis brings together more than 40 years of experience operating and optimising established high speed rail services, including France’s TGV network, Eurostar, Morocco’s Al Boraq and OUIGO services in France and Spain. The team also brings current advisory and development experience from emerging high speed rail programs, including Alto in Canada and California High Speed Rail.
SNCF's role
SNCF, a global leader in high speed rail operations, will contribute deep expertise from the design, operation and optimisation of some of the world’s most advanced high speed networks, including in France and internationally. This experience will help ensure Australia’s first high speed rail line draws upon proven operational models and global best practice.
CERTIFER's role
CERTIFER, part of the Apave Group, is a specialist in railway safety, testing, inspection, certification and advisory services and will contribute its expertise in safety management, systems assurance, regulatory compliance and certification processes. With a well-established presence in Australia and extensive experience in rail and high speed rail projects worldwide, CERTIFER brings both local knowledge and international expertise to support the successful development of Australia’s future high speed rail network.
David Franks, Keolis Australia and New Zealand CEO, said:
“This is a nation-shaping project and a defining moment for transport in Australia. We are proud to support the High Speed Rail Authority in developing a railway that is designed from day one with the passenger and operator in mind.”
“Keolis has been part of Australia's public transport landscape for almost 20 years, delivering services for millions of passengers every year. This appointment gives us the opportunity to combine that local operational experience with global high speed rail expertise to help develop a railway that Australians will be proud of.”
Developing Australia's first high speed rail line with the experience of operators and maintainers
As BOMA, the partnership will help ensure the Newcastle to Sydney high speed rail project is developed with safety, reliability, maintainability and customer considerations embedded from the outset. It will act as HSRA’s shadow operator and maintainer, embedding an operator-led approach into the design and development of the railway. This will help ensure the system is not only engineered effectively, but is also designed to be practical, efficient and customer-focused in operation.
This partnership will bring operational and maintenance expertise to inform key project decisions during planning and design, helping develop a railway that delivers long-term value for passengers, government and communities.
Supporting a landmark national project
The Newcastle to Sydney project is the first stage of Australia’s High Speed Rail.
Keolis’ appointment comes at the start of the project’s two-year Development Phase, which is focused on making the project construction-ready by progressing detailed design, planning and approvals, procurement, delivery planning, and further refinement of the project’s scope, cost, schedule and risks. This work will inform a future Australian Government investment decision.
Strengthening Keolis’ role in Australia
Frédéric Van Heems, Keolis Group CEO, said:
"Australia has an extraordinary opportunity to create a high speed rail network that will transform connectivity between cities and regions for generations to come."
"Keolis is proud to bring together global high speed rail expertise and local Australian capability to support this landmark project. Our role is to help ensure Australia benefits from lessons learned across some of the world's most successful high speed rail systems, while developing an approach tailored to Australian communities and passengers."
“This appointment reinforces the strategic importance of Australia to Keolis and reflects our long-term commitment to supporting the future of sustainable mobility in the country.”
The appointment reinforces Keolis' long-term commitment to Australia and its role in delivering the next generation of sustainable transport infrastructure.
