Keolis-led partnership appointed as operations adviser for Australia’s High Speed Rail
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.
Keolis will lead the BOMA role, working with partners SNCF and CERTIFER to bring together international high speed rail expertise, operational know-how and whole-of-life operations and maintenance insight. As a global public transport operator with almost two decades of experience in Australia, Keolis will provide overall leadership and transport integration expertise. SNCF will bring direct experience from more than four decades of high speed rail operations, while CERTIFER will contribute specialist railway safety, assurance and certification capability.
Together, the partnership brings more than four decades of experience from 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.
The appointment marks a significant milestone for Keolis in Australia, with the organisation leading the partnership that will help embed operational, maintenance and customer considerations into the development of Australia’s first high speed rail line - from service planning and customer experience through to maintenance strategy and operational readiness.
As BOMA, the partnership 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.
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."
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.”
