Parliament railway station

Parliament
Metropolitan Railway Station
Looking down platform 3
Location	Spring Street, Melbourne Australia
Coordinates	37°48′41″S 144°58′23″E / 37.81139°S 144.97306°E / -37.81139; 144.97306Coordinates: 37°48′41″S 144°58′23″E / 37.81139°S 144.97306°E / -37.81139; 144.97306
Owned by	VicTrack
Operated by	Metro
Line(s)	All Melbourne lines
Platforms	4 (2 island)
Tracks	4
Construction
Structure type	Underground
Platform levels	2
Disabled access	yes (lift)
Other information
Status	Premium station
Station code	PAR
Fare zone	Myki zone 1
Website	Public Transport Victoria
History
Opened	22 January 1983
Electrified	Yes

Parliament railway station is an underground station on the metro network in Melbourne, Australia. It is one of five stations (and one of three underground) on the City Loop, which encircles the Melbourne CBD. In 2011/12 it was the 4th busiest station on Melbourne's metropolitan network, with 10.7 million passenger movements.^[1]

The station services Melbourne's government district, and is underneath the Parliament House of Victoria and the intersection of Bourke and Spring Streets, at the eastern end of the CBD.

History

The station platforms were constructed using mining methods. Each platform is an individual tunnel, and are linked to the other platform in the same level by a number of cross tunnels. This choice in design left the remaining pillar of rock between the tunnels too weak to support the required loads, so it was replaced with concrete. A pilot tunnel was made, enabling the walls to be constructed ahead of the main excavation.^[2]

The booking hall to the south was constructed 'upside down', with the support columns dug with augers from ground level, then filled with concrete. The roof was then constructed over these piles from ground level during a series of staged road closures, and once this was completed the excavation of the booking hall could be carried out underneath, while road traffic continued overhead. During construction the Parliament House fence had to be removed, stored then re-erected.^[2]

The station opened on 22 January 1983.^[3] At the time of opening the station had the longest escalators in the southern hemisphere.^[2]

Facilities

Parliament station has three underground levels. It has a concourse level and four platforms on the two levels underneath. Each platform serves a separate group of rail lines that leave the Loop and radiate out into the city's suburbs.

Parliament has two separate concourses. They each have a ticket office, toilets and ticket operated gates.

• The northern is located at the junction of Spring, Lonsdale and Nicholson Streets, and has three escalators and a lift going down to the platforms, as well has a lift and steps leading to street level.

• The southern concourse is near the Spring and Collins Street intersection, and has four escalators descending to the platforms. There are three exits to ground level via steps: one to MacArthur Street, the other two exits on Spring Street, facing Bourke Street and near Collins Street.

Platforms & services

Platform 1 - Clifton Group

• South Morang line: all stations and limited stops services to South Morang
• Hurstbridge line: all stations and limited stops services to Hurstbridge
• City Loop: all stations and limited stops services to Flinders Street

Platform 2 - Caulfield Group

• Pakenham line: all stations and limited stops services to Pakenham
• Cranbourne line: all stations and limited stops services to Cranbourne
• Frankston line: all stations and limited stops services to Frankston
• Sandringham line: all stations and limited stops services to Sandringham
• City Loop: all stations and limited stops services to Flinders Street

Platform 3 - Northern Group

• Craigieburn line: all stations and limited stops services to Craigieburn
• Upfield line: all stations and limited stops services to Upfield
• Sunbury line: all stations and limited stops services to Sunbury
• Werribee line: all stations and limited stops services to Werribee
• Williamstown line: all stations and limited stops services to Williamstown
• Flemington Racecourse line: limited stops services to Flemington Racecourse
• City Loop: all stations and limited stops services to Flinders Street

Platform 4 - Burnley Group

• Lilydale line: all stations and limited stops services to Lilydale
• Belgrave line: all stations and limited stops services to Belgrave
• Glen Waverley line: all stations and limited stops services to Glen Waverley
• Alamein line: all stations and limited stops services to Alamein
• City Loop: all stations and limited stops services to Flinders Street

Transport links

Yarra Trams operate seven services via Parliament station:

Bourke Street

• 35 City Circle^[4]
• 86: Bundoora RMIT - Waterfront City Docklands^[5]
• 95: Docklands - Melbourne Museum^[6]
• 96: East Brunswick - St Kilda^[7]

Collins Street

• 48: North Balwyn - Victoria Harbour^[8]
• 109: Box Hill - Port Melbourne^[9]
• 112: West Preston - St Kilda^[10]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Parliament railway station, Melbourne.

• Melway