Regional Rail Project

NSW’s regional rail fleet of XPT, XPLORER and Endeavour trains have faithfully served their purposes since being introduced in 1993. As the fleet approaches its end of life, Transport for NSW reached out to industry for ways to improve the safety, comfort, accessibility and reliability of its next generation rail fleet. The Regional Rail project aimed to provide ongoing employment opportunities to regional NSW with a new maintenance facility located in Dubbo.  

The APP Group played a crucial role in providing strategic commercial advice throughout the procurement phase of the project. These services included developing the delivery and procurement strategy as well as managing stakeholders, the EOI, RFP and governance processes, contract finalisation and delivery project team mobilisation. 

The new regional rail fleet is the first to use bi-mode technology, which is a diesel-electric hybrid that lets trains run on overhead power when operating on the electrified network and switching to onboard diesel generators when outside of this network. This mode helps the fleet reduce 540 tonnes of carbon emissions each year, reduce 3 tonnes of diesel pollution each year and save more than $2 million on annual diesel costs. 

The new Regional Rail fleet consists of 29 trains, including 117 carriages that will replace the current XPT, XPLORER and Endeavour services. The new trains have comfortable directional seating, overhead storage, charging ports for mobiles and tray tables that suit laptops. Each train has improved accessible features including accessible toilets, wider doors, single-deck carriages, priority seating and help points.  

There’s also a modern buffet car in the long and short regional trains.