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Novo Rail AllianceUpgrading Sydney’s rail backbone for a smarter, more reliable network

Infrastructure upgrade programme for Novo Rail Trains network.

Delivering Sydney's most significant rail infrastructure renewal programme

As a key partner in the Novo Rail Alliance, Aurecon has made a major contribution to delivering one of Sydney’s most significant programmes of rail infrastructure renewal – an estimated $1.5 billion investment over a 14-year program of works involving 103 projects such as upgrades to signalling, power supply, electrical, station access, and track systems across the Sydney Trains network.

Working alongside Transport for NSW, Laing O’Rourke, and John Holland, Aurecon, as lead designer, provided end-to-end rail engineering, program advisory, digital engineering, and sustainability expertise for Novo Rail.

Novo Rail Alliance delivered infrastructure upgrades for 103 projects across Sydney’s train network over 14 years.

By enhancing station accessibility, modernising power and signalling systems, and improving track configurations, Novo Rail has increased the capacity, reliability, and integration of Sydney's rail services, making it easier for people to travel and connect.

These critical infrastructure upgrades have also been instrumental in contributing to supporting the broader rail network, including new projects like Sydney Metro. While Sydney Metro introduces new high-capacity lines and stations, the existing Sydney Trains network must evolve in parallel – and that’s where Novo Rail plays a critical role.

Discover some of the transformative projects delivered by Aurecon as part of the Novo Rail Alliance below.

Location

Gadigal Country
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Client

Transport for New South Wales (TfNSW)

Partners

Laing O’Rourke, John Holland

Aurecon's Role

Rail services and project management, digital engineering, engineering design, construction support, sustainability, industry capability development

Redfern station.

Redfern Station: Accessibility-first infrastructure

At Redfern Station, Aurecon helped bring to life a future-focused transport hub that champions sustainability, accessibility, and heritage preservation – within one of Sydney’s most complex and constrained urban environments.

Delivered as part of the Novo Rail Alliance, the project transforms commuter experience with a new 85-metre southern concourse, barrier-free access points, and lifts serving all 10 above ground platforms and concourses for the first time.

Connecting communities with sustainability-led design

Aurecon’s digital and sustainability-led approach, including immersive 3D modelling and stakeholder engagement tools, was instrumental in reimagining the station without disrupting its cultural significance.

A 130-year-old heritage building was delicately relocated, while community-informed design and innovative construction solutions delivered a reduction in overall embodied carbon and environmental impact of materials use when compared with traditional construction materials. The project’s sustainability features earned an Excellent Design IS Rating from the Infrastructure Sustainability Council.

The Redfern Station upgrade is more than a transport project, it’s a legacy of inclusive infrastructure that sets a new benchmark for urban rail environments. The upgraded station features a new southern concourse with six new lifts and stair access to Platforms 1 to 10, as well as two additional entrances, drop-off areas, accessible toilets, and improved streetscaping.

Wynyard Station Upgrade

Wynyard Station: Enhancing commuter comfort using VR

Wynyard Station Upgrade has long served Sydney’s CBD, seeing more than 110,000 pedestrian movements every day. When summer temperatures turned the station into one of Sydney’s most uncomfortable commuting environments, Aurecon turned to cutting-edge digital tools to create a cooler, more passenger-friendly future.

In partnership with the Novo Rail Alliance, Aurecon pioneered the use of virtual reality (VR) and 3D printing to simulate, test, and refine a localised, zone-based air-conditioning system, without disrupting operations at Sydney’s second busiest train station.

By replicating a hot platform in a virtual environment and integrating passenger feedback, Aurecon and its partners designed a tailored heat relief solution inspired by aircraft environmental control systems. The result: a seamlessly integrated air-diffuser system that delivers comfort where it’s needed most – directly to passengers.

Award-winning and stakeholder-led, the Wynyard Station Upgrade is a standout example of how immersive technology and co-design can transform the commuter experience.

Sydney Metro Wynyard Station Upgrade used 3D printing and virtual reality to design passenger amenity outcomes.

Hornsby Junction: Digital unlocks Sydney’s most complex rail junction

At one of Sydney’s busiest and most intricate brownfield rail sites, Aurecon helped deliver an upgrade to Hornsby Junction. The project delivered faster turnaround times for trains, increasing capacity and improving service reliability for Sydney’s T1 North Shore Line.

The challenge for the design and construction teams was how to navigate the brownfield site, twisting and turning the new infrastructure to fit amongst existing services, wiring, and signalling, all without clashing. As part of the Novo Rail Alliance, Aurecon led a digitally driven, fully federated clash detection process, enabling the team to pre-empt and resolve spatial conflicts across thousands of services, wires and tracks – all before setting foot on site.

Faced with constrained access and overlapping infrastructure, the team used 3D modelling as a single source of truth to animate, test, and validate every move – including crane lifts near live 11kV conductors. The result: a 17-day construction programme smoothly, and on schedule – an effort that would have otherwise taken years.

This project sets a new benchmark for brownfield rail delivery in Australia, proving how digital integration drives certainty, safety, and performance.

Strathfield to Hornsby: Resilient, modular rail power transmission infrastructure

As part of the Novo Rail Alliance, Aurecon contributed to a significant upgrade of the high-voltage feeder system between Strathfield and Hornsby, replacing ageing timber poles with advanced steel structures.

The new steel poles, capable of supporting longer spans and more equipment, improve safety by effectively separating DC currents and reducing maintenance requirements associated with timber structures. Their segmented design allows for easier transportation and assembly on-site, reducing the need for extensive road closures and facilitating a more efficient construction process.

This transformation not only enhances the durability and capacity of the rail network's power supply but also introduces modular construction techniques that minimise disruption during installation. The upgrade exemplifies Aurecon's commitment to delivering innovative and sustainable solutions that enhance the performance and longevity of critical infrastructure.

A key member of the Alliance, Aurecon as lead designer provided end-to-end rail engineering, program advisory, digital engineering, and sustainability expertise for Novo Rail.

Novo Rail and Sydney Metro: A smarter, more reliable network

Aurecon’s role on both Novo Rail and Sydney Metro support Sydney’s broader transport network to be future-ready, resilient, and seamlessly integrated. From enhanced power supply systems to station modernisations and cutting-edge digital engineering, discover how Aurecon is also helping shape the future of mobility through our work on Sydney Metro.

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Explore projects

Project visualisation and infrastructure to Sydney's Redfern Station Upgrade.

Redfern Station Upgrade, Sydney, Australia

Aurecon delivers digital visualisation and sustainable infrastructure for upgrading Redfern Station to ensure better rail accessibility for passengers in the future.

Aurecon used digital engineering to manage complex rail services for the Hornsby Junction project.

Hornsby Junction Remodelling, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Using clash detection software integrated with 3D models, Aurecon digitally coordinated new signalling and rail services for Hornsby Junction.

Using 3D printing and virtual reality to design passenger amenity.

Wynyard Station Upgrade, Sydney, Australia

Aurecon used 3D printing and virtual reality to simulate a rail platform and test design scenarios as if they were passengers moving around the actual station.

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