Labor promises $6.8b South Coast rail fix days after timetable backflip

Key points

• The New South Wales government has promised a $6.8 billion upgrade to the South Coast rail line if re-elected next year. The plan includes electrifying the line between Kiama and Bomaderry, so passengers could travel from Sydney to Nowra without changing trains.
• Extra tracks and passing loops are also planned between Wollongong and Kiama. Planning is expected to start in 2027, with construction completed in the mid to late 2030s.
• The announcement follows the scrapping of a planned timetable overhaul on the line, which had drawn commuter backlash.