But don't hold your breath – it’s at least 10 years away at best.

The list from government body Infrastructure Australia tallies the country’s top 100 proposals over the next 15 years.

The listing for the Wollongong rail upgrade mentions slow train speeds of around 56km/h and lengthy travel times as reasons for the improvements.

“This service level reduces accessibility to the Sydney employment market from regions with above average unemployment,” the listing stated.

The list also states the upgrade is “expected to include” a new rail crossing of the escarpment.

This has been talked about in recent years – the Centurion consortium has given the state government an unsolicited proposal for a fast train line from Wollongong to Campbelltown.

These infrastructure upgrades won’t be happening any time soon – the list places it in the “longer term” category, which means a wait of 10-15 years.

A Transport for NSW spokesman said the government was now developing its Future Transport Strategy – an extensive rail upgrade would seem to be a part of this.

“We are looking beyond the projects in the pipeline in order to tackle the big challenges like congestion, our growing population and climate change,” the spokesman said.

“We recognise the need for transport links between capital cities and other major cities for access to services and opportunities like business, specialist healthcare and international airports.”