Flinders Street railway station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Flinders Street
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| PTV metropolitan and regional rail station | ||||
The building illuminated at night, 2018
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| Location | 207–361 Flinders Street Melbourne, Victoria 3000 Australia |
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| Coordinates | 37°49′05″S 144°58′01″E / 37.818078°S 144.96681°E | |||
| Owned by | VicTrack | |||
| Operated by | Metro Trains | |||
| Line(s) |
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| Distance | 1.23 kilometres from Southern Cross | |||
| Platforms | 13 (plus one removed) | |||
| Tracks | 15 | |||
| Train operators | ||||
| Connections | 14 tram routes | |||
| Construction | ||||
| Structure type | At-grade | |||
| Parking | None | |||
| Bicycle facilities | None | |||
| Disabled access | Yes | |||
| Other information | ||||
| Status | Premium station | |||
| Station code | FSS | |||
| Fare zone | 1 | |||
| History | ||||
| Opened | 12 September 1854 | |||
| Electrified | 1500 V DC overhead | |||
| Previous names | Melbourne Terminus | |||
| Traffic | ||||
| Passengers (2008–2009) | 24.641 million | |||
| Passengers (2009–2010) | 24.670 million  0.12% |
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| Passengers (2010–2011) | 25.187 million 2.09% |
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| Passengers (2011–2012) | 26.187 million 3.97% |
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| Passengers (2012–2013) | Not measured | |||
| Passengers (2013–2014) | 27.960 million 6.77% |
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| Passengers (2014-2015) | Not measured | |||
| Passengers (2015-2016) | 28.087 million 0.45% |
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| Passengers (2016-2017) | 27.859 million  0.81% |
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| Passengers (2017-2018) | 28.161 million 1.08% |
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| Passengers (2018-2019) | 28.320 million 0.56% |
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| Official name | Flinders Street Railway Station Complex | |||
| Criteria | A, E, F, G | |||
| Designated | 20 August 1982 | |||
| Reference no. | H1083 | |||
Flinders Street railway station is a famous train station in Melbourne, Australia. It's located right in the city centre, at the corner of Flinders and Swanston streets. This historic station opened in 1854 and serves trains across Melbourne, plus some country services to eastern Victoria.
The station sits next to the Yarra River. Its platforms and buildings stretch over two city blocks. Flinders Street is the busiest station in Melbourne. In 2017/18, about 77,153 people entered it every day! It was the starting point for Australia's very first railway line. In the 1920s, it was even thought to be the world's busiest passenger station.
The main building you see today was finished in 1909. It's a key symbol of Melbourne. The building has a unique Edwardian style, with a big dome, arched entrance, a tall tower, and famous clocks. It's one of the city's most easily recognised landmarks. There's a popular story that its design was meant for a station in Mumbai, India, but they got swapped by mistake!
When people in Melbourne say, "I'll meet you under the clocks," they mean the row of clocks above the main entrance. These clocks show when the next trains are leaving. Another common meeting spot is "on the steps," which are the wide stairs below the clocks. The station has been a protected heritage site since 1982.
Contents
History of Flinders Street Station
The First Train Station
The very first train station on this spot was called Melbourne Terminus. It was made of simple wooden sheds. It opened on 12 September 1854. This was Australia's first city train station. On opening day, the first steam train trip in the country happened. It travelled to Sandridge (now Port Melbourne).
The first station had just one platform, 30 metres long. It was next to the Fish Market building. In 1877, another platform was added. Two overhead bridges were built for passengers to cross. More buildings and a telegraph station were added in 1879. By the 1890s, a third platform was built.
Melbourne had two other early city stations: Spencer Street and Princes Bridge. Spencer Street served lines to the west. It was connected to Flinders Street by a railway line in 1879. Princes Bridge was very close to Flinders Street, just across Swanston Street. It was joined to Flinders Street in 1865 and later became part of it. Today, Federation Square is where Princes Bridge station used to be.
Building the Current Station
By the 1880s, it was clear a new, bigger station was needed. A design competition was held in 1883, but the winning design was not built.
Another design competition took place in 1899. Seventeen designs were submitted. The first prize went to James Fawcett and H. P. C. Ashworth. Their design, called Green Light, was in the French Renaissance style. It featured a large dome over the main entrance and a tall clock tower.
Work on the station tracks began in 1900. The foundations for the main building were finished by 1903. In 1904, while construction was happening, the plans were changed a lot. The big train shed roof was removed. Instead, each platform got its own roof. A fourth floor was added to the main building to create more office space.
Construction of the building itself started in 1905. The building was supposed to be made of stone, but that was too expensive. So, red brick with cement details was used instead. The dome's construction began in 1906. The station was mostly finished by mid-1909. It officially opened in 1910.
The building had many shops and spaces to rent. The top three floors had many rooms for railway use and other businesses. A large part of the top floor was built for the Victorian Railway Institute. It included a library, gym, and a lecture hall, which later became a ballroom. These rooms have been empty since the 1980s. For some years, the building even had a creche (daycare) with an outdoor playground on a roof.
The first electric train service ran from Flinders Street in 1919. By 1923, it was believed to be the world's busiest passenger station. It handled 2,300 trains and 300,000 passengers daily. In 1954, the Degraves Street subway was extended. This created Campbell Arcade.
Changes Over the Years
From the 1960s to the 1970s, there were plans to knock down or rebuild parts of the station. The station had become quite old and dirty. In 1962, there was a plan to replace the clock tower with a 60-story office building. Later plans also suggested building a shopping plaza and office towers.
However, strong public opposition helped save the station. People started to see its historical importance. By 1976, it was listed by the National Trust of Australia. It was added to the state Heritage Register in 1982.
In 1989, there was a plan for a "Festival Marketplace" over the platforms. It would have had shops and restaurants. But this project was stopped in 1991 due to money problems.
In 2011, the Victorian Government held a design competition to refresh the station. In 2013, the winners were announced, but no big changes were made from these designs.
The station has had many upgrades. In 1982, a $7 million refurbishment began. New escalators and public toilets were added. The main concourse was tiled and extended. New shops opened. In 1993, the Elizabeth Street subway was extended. The building's outside was repainted, and its stained glass windows were fixed.
Between 1997 and 1998, the tracks east of the station were rebuilt for the Federation Square project. This reduced the number of railway lines and switches. Country trains moved to platform 10.
By 2007, more changes were completed. The roof was fixed, and platform 10 was upgraded with escalators and a lift. All ticket offices moved to the main entrance. New digital information displays were installed. In 2015, $100 million was announced for urgent repairs. This included upgrading platforms, entrances, and toilets, and restoring the building's exterior. By 2017, the station was almost completely repainted in its original 1910 colours.
The Famous Clocks
The distinctive clocks under the main dome show the departure times of the next trains. They have been there since the 1860s. In 1910, 28 of these clocks were placed in the new station. They were at the main entrance and other entrances.
A railway officer used to change the clocks by hand with a long pole. They changed the clocks about 900 times during an 8-hour shift! In 1983, the original clocks were going to be replaced by digital displays. But people were very upset, so the decision was changed in one day. The clocks at the main entrance were made automatic by computer.
The spot "under the clocks" or "on the steps" has been a popular meeting place for people in Melbourne since the station opened. Even though it wasn't planned as a meeting spot, its central location makes it easy for everyone to find. Many people who meet there don't even arrive by train.
There has also been a clock tower at the end of Elizabeth Street since 1883. The first clock was moved several times before ending up at the Scienceworks Museum. It was returned to Southern Cross station in 2014.
Today's Elizabeth Street clock tower was built between 1906 and 1907. It was made by a Melbourne clock maker. It used to need winding every day, but now it's electric. It was cleaned and fixed between 2017 and 2018.
Platforms and Layout
Flinders Street Station has an unusual platform layout. Most of its tracks go straight through, rather than ending at the station. The very first platform was only 30 metres long. It allowed trains from Port Melbourne to stop there. Later, it was extended so trains from both the east and west could arrive at the same time.
In 1877, a second platform was added. More platforms were built between 1889 and 1892. The final plan in 1899 called for 11 platforms. In 1909, platforms 10 and 11 were extended, creating two new platforms, 12 and 13.
In 1966, platform 1 at Flinders Street was extended to meet the platform at nearby Princes Bridge station. This created one very long platform, over 800 metres long! In 1980, Princes Bridge was officially joined with Flinders Street. Its three platforms became platforms 14, 15, and 16.
Some platforms were closed in the early 1990s. Platform 11 stopped being used after the Port Melbourne line closed in 1987. Platforms 14, 15, and 16 were also closed for regular services. The site of platform 11 was turned into a bar and restaurant in 2014. Platforms 15 and 16 were removed to make space for Federation Square. Platform 14 is still used sometimes.
A short platform called the Milk Dock was built in 1910. It was used for milk and small goods arriving by train. It is still mostly there today.
Three main walkways connect the platforms. The main concourse is at the east end, near the main dome. It has escalators, stairs, and lifts to all platforms. The Degraves Street subway runs under the middle of the station. It has stairs to most platforms. The Elizabeth Street subway is at the west end. It has ramps to most platforms and a stairway to platform 1.
Trains might use a different platform if their usual one is busy.
Platform 1:
Trains going through the City Loop – Clifton Hill Group:
- Hurstbridge line to Hurstbridge
- Mernda line to Mernda
Platform 2 & 3:
Trains going through the City Loop – Burnley Group:
- Belgrave line to Belgrave
- Lilydale line to Lilydale
- Glen Waverley line to Glen Waverley
- Alamein line (weekdays) to Alamein
Platform 4 & 5:
Trains going through the City Loop – Northern Group:
- Craigieburn line to Craigieburn
- Upfield line to Upfield
- Sunbury line to Watergardens & Sunbury
Trains going via Richmond (platform 4 only):
- Belgrave line to Blackburn
- Lilydale line to Blackburn
- Alamein line (weekdays) to Alamein
Platform 6 & 7:
Trains going via Richmond:
- Pakenham line express services to Pakenham
- Cranbourne line express services to Cranbourne
- <span style="background-color:#Lua error: expandTemplate: template "V/Line color" does not exist.; border:1px solid #Lua error: expandTemplate: template "V/Line color" does not exist.;"> Gippsland line V/Line services to Traralgon & Bairnsdale (pick up only)
- <span style="background-color:#Lua error: expandTemplate: template "V/Line color" does not exist.; border:1px solid #Lua error: expandTemplate: template "V/Line color" does not exist.;"> Gippsland line V/Line services to Southern Cross (set down only)
Platform 8 & 9:
Trains going via Richmond:
- Frankston line to Frankston
Trains going via Southern Cross (platform 9 only):
- Werribee line to Laverton & Werribee
- Williamstown line to Williamstown
Platform 10:
Trains going via Southern Cross:
- Werribee line (weekdays) to Laverton & Werribee
- Williamstown line (weekdays) to Williamstown
- Flemington Racecourse line to Showgrounds and/or Flemington Racecourse (special event days only)
Platform 12 & 13:
Trains going via Richmond:
- Sandringham line (weekdays) to Sandringham
Platform 14:
Trains going through the City Loop – Clifton Hill Group:
- Hurstbridge line to Hurstbridge
- Mernda line to Mernda
Getting Around: Transport Links
Flinders Street Station is a major transport hub. Many buses and trams stop nearby, making it easy to connect to other parts of Melbourne.
Night Buses: Several Night Bus routes operate from Flinders Street on Saturday and Sunday mornings. These include routes operated by Dysons and Ventura Bus Lines, connecting to various suburbs like Watergardens, St Albans, Point Cook, Glenroy, Broadmeadows, Mernda, Doncaster, Box Hill, and Ringwood.
Trams: Yarra Trams operates 14 tram routes that pass by Flinders Street, Swanston Street, and Elizabeth Street. These trams connect Flinders Street to many different areas across Melbourne.
| No. | Route | Stop location | Ref |
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East Coburg – South Melbourne Beach | Swanston Street | |
 3a |
Melbourne University – Malvern East | Swanston Street | |
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Melbourne University – Malvern | Swanston Street | |
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Moreland station – Glen Iris | Swanston Street | |
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Melbourne University – Kew | Swanston Street | |
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to Coburg North | Elizabeth Street | |
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City Circle | Flinders Street | |
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to West Maribyrnong | Elizabeth Street | |
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to Airport West | Elizabeth Street | |
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Melbourne University – Brighton East | Swanston Street | |
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Melbourne University – Carnegie | Swanston Street | |
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Wattle Park – The District Docklands SC | Flinders Street | |
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Melbourne University – Deepdene | Swanston Street | |
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Vermont South – Central Pier | Flinders Street |
Images for kids
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1900 design by Fawcett & Ashworth
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Flinders Street "A" signal box circa 1913
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Looking southwest towards platform 6 from platform 5
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The facade as viewed from Flinders Street, showing tram lines
See also
In Spanish: Flinders Street Station para niños
