Richmond railway station, Melbourne

Richmond railway station is a commuter and regional railway station on the suburban Alamein, Belgrave, Cranbourne, Frankston, Glen Waverley, Lilydale, Pakenham, and Sandringham lines; and the regional Gippsland line, part of the Melbourne and Victorian railway networks. It serves the inner east suburb of Richmond, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Richmond station is an elevated premium station and major junction, featuring ten platforms: five island platforms with two faces each. It opened on 8 February 1859, with the current station provided in the late 1950s.<ref name="vicsigrichmond">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Initially opened as Punt Road, the station was renamed two times. The station was renamed to Swan Street on 12 December 1859, then it was given its current name of Richmond on 1 January 1867.<ref name="vicsigrichmond">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

History

Richmond station has been relocated and rebuilt four times. The first station was at ground level, and opened on 8 February 1859 as Punt Road. It closed in the same year, on 12 December. On the same day, a new station called Swan Street, also at ground level, opened. It was re-named Richmond on 1 January 1867.<ref name=vicsigrichmond/> In 1885, an elevated station was opened just north of Swan Street, with six platforms.

By the 1930s, the station was struggling to cope with patronage. The 1940 Ashworth Improvement Plan recommended that it be rebuilt, but funding problems during World War II prevented that from happening.<ref name=lee185>Template:Cite book</ref> The station had also deteriorated to the point that it was condemned by the local council. In the 1950s, work began on a replacement, as part of Operation Phoenix, the postwar rebuilding of the Victorian Railways.<ref name=br1952>Template:Cite book (VR publicity brochure)</ref> However, it was not until 26 March 1960 that the present station was completed. Located slightly west of the previous station, the bridges at each end of the station, across Punt Road and Swan Street, were also rebuilt to accommodate the ten tracks. For a time, platforms at both the old and new stations were used, before the original station was closed and demolished.

In 1973, the flyover for the down Burnley local line was built at the up end of Platforms 9 and 10,<ref name=vicsigrichmond/> with the junction to the east of Platforms 7, 8, 9 and 10 abolished in the same year.<ref name=vicsigrichmond/>

Richmond station was the filming location for the opening scene of the 1992 Australian film Romper Stomper where it was used as a stand-in for Footscray station.

In 1994, major re-signalling works occurred between Richmond and South Yarra.<ref name=vicsigrichmond/> On 4 December 1996, Richmond was upgraded to a premium station.<ref name="newsrailoct97">Template:Cite magazine</ref>

During 2015, the verandahs on all platforms were lengthened and roofs installed over the ramps leading to the pedestrian subway at the up end of the station.<ref name="newsrailaug16">Template:Cite magazine</ref> The additional verandahs filled in the gaps between the existing verandahs, giving passengers coverage against inclement weather and to reduce overcrowding.<ref name=newsrailaug16/>

During the 2018/2019 financial year, it was the ninth-busiest station in metropolitan Melbourne, with 4.17 million boardings per year.<ref name="patronage2013-2018">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Platforms, facilities and services

Platform 5 and 6 station PIDS displaying an East Pakenham and Flinders Street services, July 2024

Richmond has ten platforms: five island platforms with two faces each. It is built on an embankment immediately east of Punt Road, with platforms extending west across the Punt Road railway bridge. The station is connected by three subways, with access to the platforms by ramps. There are no lifts at the station.

The station is located in Melbourne's sporting precinct. A special-events entrance at the western end is opened during events at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne Park and AAMI Park.

A High Capacity Metro Train on a East Pakenham bound service arrives at Platform 6, July 2024

It is serviced by Metro Trains' Alamein, Belgrave, Cranbourne, Frankston, Glen Waverley, Lilydale, Pakenham and Sandringham line services, and V/Line's Gippsland line services.

Current

colspan="6" style="background:#Template:Rcr;background-image: linear-gradient(to right, #Template:Rcr); background-image: linear-gradient(to right, #Template:Rcr, #Template:Rcr, #Template:Rcr, #Template:Rcr, #Template:Rcr); " |Richmond platform arrangement
Platform	Line	Destination	Via	Service Type	Notes
1	Template:RouteBox	Flinders Street		All stations
2	Template:RouteBox	Sandringham		All stations
3	Template:RouteBox	Flinders Street, Williamstown, Newport, Werribee	Flinders Street	All stations and limited express services	Services to Newport only operate during weekday offpeaks. Services to Werribee only operate during weekday peaks, late nights and on weekends.
4	Template:RouteBox	Moorabbin, Cheltenham, Frankston		All stations and limited express services	Services to Moorabbin and Cheltenham only operate during weekday peaks.
5	Template:RouteBox Template:RouteBox	Flinders Street	City Loop	All stations	All services run to Flinders Street via the City Loop except during night network
	Template:RouteBox	Southern Cross	Flinders Street		Set down only
6	Template:RouteBox Template:RouteBox	Westall, Dandenong, East Pakenham, Cranbourne		Limited express	Services to Westall and Dandenong only operate during weekday peaks.
	Template:RouteBox	Traralgon, Bairnsdale			Pick up only
7	Template:RouteBox (Weekday peak hours only) Template:RouteBox Template:RouteBox	Flinders Street		All stations	All services run direct to Flinders Street
8	Template:RouteBox (Weekday peak hours only) Template:RouteBox Template:RouteBox	Flinders Street	City Loop	All stations	See City Loop for operating patterns
9	Template:RouteBox (Weekday peak hours only) Template:RouteBox Template:RouteBox	Alamein, Blackburn, Ringwood, Mooroolbark, Lilydale, Upper Ferntree Gully, Belgrave		All stations and limited express services
10	Template:RouteBox (Weekday peak hours only) Template:RouteBox Template:RouteBox	Glen Waverley, Alamein, Blackburn, Ringwood, Lilydale		All stations and limited express services	Only used on weekdays and during night network

From 1 February 2026 to 29 April 2026<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

colspan="6" style="background:#Template:Rcr;background-image: linear-gradient(to right, #Template:Rcr); background-image: linear-gradient(to right, #Template:Rcr, #Template:Rcr, #Template:Rcr, #Template:Rcr); " |Richmond platform arrangement
Platform	Line	Destination	Via	Service Type	Notes
1	Template:RouteBox	Flinders Street		All stations
2	Template:RouteBox	Sandringham		All stations
3	Template:RouteBox	Flinders Street	City Loop	All stations	All services run to Flinders Street via the City Loop except during night network
4	Template:RouteBox	Moorabbin, Cheltenham, Frankston		All stations and limited express services	Services to Moorabbin and Cheltenham only operate during weekday peaks.
5	Template:RouteBox	Southern Cross	Flinders Street		Set down only
6	Template:RouteBox	Traralgon, Bairnsdale			Pick up only
7	Template:RouteBox (Weekday peak hours only) Template:RouteBox Template:RouteBox	Flinders Street		All stations	All services run direct to Flinders Street
8	Template:RouteBox (Weekday peak hours only) Template:RouteBox Template:RouteBox	Flinders Street	City Loop	All stations	See City Loop for operating patterns
9	Template:RouteBox (Weekday peak hours only) Template:RouteBox Template:RouteBox	Alamein, Blackburn, Ringwood, Mooroolbark, Lilydale, Upper Ferntree Gully, Belgrave		All stations and limited express services
10	Template:RouteBox (Weekday peak hours only) Template:RouteBox Template:RouteBox	Glen Waverley, Alamein, Blackburn, Ringwood, Lilydale		All stations and limited express services	Only used on weekdays and during night network

After 29 April 2026

colspan="6" style="background:#Template:Rcr;background-image: linear-gradient(to right, #Template:Rcr); background-image: linear-gradient(to right, #Template:Rcr, #Template:Rcr, #Template:Rcr, #Template:Rcr); " |Richmond platform arrangement
Platform	Line	Destination	Via	Service Type	Notes
1	Template:RouteBox	Flinders Street, Williamstown, Laverton, Werribee	Flinders Street	All stations and limited express services	Services to Laverton only operate on weekdays
2	Template:RouteBox	Sandringham		All stations
3	Template:RouteBox	Flinders Street	City Loop	All stations	All services run to Flinders Street via the City Loop except during night network
4	Template:RouteBox	Moorabbin, Cheltenham, Frankston		All stations and limited express services	Services to Moorabbin and Cheltenham only operate during weekday peaks.
5	Template:RouteBox	Southern Cross	Flinders Street		Set down only
6	Template:RouteBox	Traralgon, Bairnsdale			Pick up only
7	Template:RouteBox (Weekday peak hours only) Template:RouteBox Template:RouteBox	Flinders Street		All stations	All services run direct to Flinders Street
8	Template:RouteBox (Weekday peak hours only) Template:RouteBox Template:RouteBox	Flinders Street	City Loop	All stations	See City Loop for operating patterns
9	Template:RouteBox (Weekday peak hours only) Template:RouteBox Template:RouteBox	Alamein, Blackburn, Ringwood, Mooroolbark, Lilydale, Upper Ferntree Gully, Belgrave		All stations and limited express services
10	Template:RouteBox (Weekday peak hours only) Template:RouteBox Template:RouteBox	Glen Waverley, Alamein, Blackburn, Ringwood, Lilydale		All stations and limited express services	Only used on weekdays and during night network

Transport links

Kinetic Melbourne operates one bus route via Richmond station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:

• Template:Color box: Elsternwick station – Clifton Hill<ref>Template:Cite PTV route</ref>

Yarra Trams operates one route via Richmond station:

• File:Melbourne tram route 70 icon.svg: Waterfront City Docklands – Wattle Park<ref>Template:Cite PTV route</ref>

Usage

A chart showing passenger usage at Richmond Station between 2008 and 2024 sorted by financial year.

In 2023-24 financial year, Richmond was the sixth-busiest station on Melbourne's metropolitan network.

Gallery

• 
  Westbound view from Platform 6, with the now replaced Sydney style blue and yellow tactile, which were replaced with the regular orange and yellow tactile in mid-2010s, March 2008
• 
  Westbound view from Platform 1, January 2021. The junction of Punt Road and Olympic Boulevard is to the left, with AAMI Park in the distance
• 
  The exterior building and entrance on the southern side of the station, September 2024
• 
  Westbound view from Platform 6, July 2024

External links

• Melway map at street-directory.com.au