| Preston | |
| Type: | PTV commuter rail station |
| Style: | Melbourne |
| Address: | Clinch Avenue, Preston, Victoria 3072 |
| Borough: | City of Darebin |
| Country: | Australia |
| Coordinates: | -37.7387°N 145.0006°W |
| Distance: | 12.47 kilometres from Southern Cross |
| Other: | Bus |
| Structure: | Elevated |
| Platform: | 2 (1 island) |
| Tracks: | 2 |
| Parking: | 254[1] |
| Bicycle: | Yes |
| Rebuilt: | 1973 5 September 2022 (LXRP) |
| Electrified: | July 1921 (1500 V DC overhead) |
| Accessible: | Yes—step free access |
| Code: | PRE |
| Owned: | VicTrack |
| Operator: | Metro Trains |
| Zone: | Myki Zone 1/2 overlap |
| Status: | Operational, premium station |
| Former: | Preston-Murray Road (1889-1905) Murray (1905-1909) |
| Website: | Public Transport Victoria |
| Map State: | expanded |
Preston railway station is a commuter railway station on the Mernda line, which is part of the Melbourne railway network. It serves the north-eastern suburb of Preston, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Preston station is an elevated structure premium station, featuring an island platform. It opened on 8 October 1889, with the current station provided in 2022.[2]
This station was renamed two times. It initially opened as Preston-Murray Road, before being renamed to Murray on 1 August 1905, then given its current name of Preston on 1 December 1909.[3]
Preston station opened on 8 October 1889, when the Inner Circle line was extended from North Fitzroy to Reservoir,[2] Preston station, like the suburb itself, was named after Preston in Sussex, England.[4] [5] The name was chosen by Edward Wood, who was originally from Sussex and, in 1850, opened a general store at the corner of the current day intersection of High and Wood Streets.[4]
In 1967, boom barriers replaced hand gates at the former Cramer Street and Murray Road level crossings, which were located in the up and down directions respectively.[6] In 1973, the former ground level station buildings were provided, replacing the original 1889 structures.[7] In 1998, Preston was upgraded to a premium station.[8]
On 30 November 2018, the Level Crossing Removal Project announced that the Murray Road and Cramer Street level crossings would be removed by grade separation,[9] [10] [11] with the rail line to be elevated over both roads.[12] On 4 October 2020, designs for the rebuilt station were released,[13] with major construction starting in February 2021.[14]
On 17 May 2022, Cramer Street and Murray Road level crossings and equipment were eliminated and on the same night, the ground level station were closed and demolished.[15] [16] On 30 May 2022, the first part of the new elevated railway opened with only a single track while the second track was under construction. This was temporary until 5 September 2022 when the rebuilt station opened.[17]
Preston has one island platform with two faces. It is serviced by Metro Trains' Mernda line services.[18]
Platform 1:
Platform 2:
Dysons operates two bus routes via Preston station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:
Kinetic Melbourne operates one SmartBus route via Preston station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:
Ventura Bus Lines operates one route via Preston station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria: