How much does Inland Rail cost?
Inland Rail is the Australian freight railway project to link Melbourne and Brisbane via Parkes, Narromine, Narrabri and Toowoomba, delivered by the Australian Rail Track Corporation, with the Beveridge to Parkes section planned for completion by the end of 2027. ABC News reported on 5 May 2026 that an independent assessment by ACIL Allen found the full project would cost at least 45 billion Australian dollars, triple the previous budget and above the 31 billion of the ARTC estimate three years earlier, and that the government had halted funding beyond Parkes.
Published project estimate
AUD 45 billion
Approximately $28.99 billion
Cost basis: 2026
BidgeeCC BY-SA 3.0 au
Cost evidence
Basis of the published figure
Published project estimate2026
Project record
Current completion estimate
ABC News2027