Canberra Airport has unveiled plans this morning for a $140 million high speed rail facility near to the new airport terminal.
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Managing director Stephen Byron says the airport has long been an advocate of a high speed rail link between Canberra and Sydney.
He says the reality is getting closer with strong support from NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell and the ongoing stalemate over where to build Sydney's second airport.
Mr Byron says the terminal will provide a seamless interface for passengers arriving in Canberra by air ready for their 57 minute train trip to Sydney.
The airport will commit to funding the $140 million facility which will take two years to build.
A start date will depend on the timetable for the HSR project.
Mr Byron says stage two of the Commonwealth Government's HSR study is due by the end of this year, including finalising recommendations for the route.
"We know that Sydney Airport and its surrounding transport infrastructure are already facing capacity issues, and that the joint study into aviation capacity for the Sydney Region advised that passenger demand in the region (including Canberra and Newcastle) will increase from the 2010 level of 40 million to 58 million in 2020 and 88 million by 2035.
"We also know from stage one of the HSR study that patronage demand for regional fast train services to and from Canberra will be 11 million in 2036, that the cost per trip between Canberra and Sydney will be around $40 for non-business and $95 for business.
"The high speed rail will be a significant, nation-building project with substantial benefits to the Australian economy, from jobs during construction and for the local steel industry, to international tourism, as well as relieving the congestion endured by Sydneysiders as the population grows to six million in 2036.
"The HSR from Canberra to Sydney should be delivered by 2020, with the terminal at Canberra Airport constructed over the last two years of that period."
Mr Byron said with the completion of this project, Canberra Airport would become a multi-modal hub for high speed rail, domestic and international airlines, regional and local buses and on site car parking.
"Passengers will be able to transfer from arriving aircraft to their train in under five minutes without baggage and be in Sydney in less than an hour," Mr Byron said.
