| 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: | 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 located in the north-eastern suburb of Preston in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.[2] The station opened on 8 October 1889, with the former ground level station closed and demolished in May 2022 and the current elevated station provided in September 2022 by the Level Crossing Removal Project.[3] The station was renamed two times, which it initially opened as "Preston-Murray Road" upon its opening in 1889. It was renamed to "Murray" on 1 August 1905, then was given its current name of "Preston" on 1 December 1909.
Preston is an elevated premium station, consisting of a single island platform with two faces connected by a staircase, lifts and a ground level concourse. The station fully complies with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and is accessible as there is a lift connecting to the ground level concourse and the station platforms.[4]
The station is owned by VicTrack, a state government agency and the station is operated by Metro Trains Melbourne. Preston station is currently served by the Mernda line, part of the Melbourne railway network. Additionally, the station is also served by four bus routes, it includes Dysons bus routes 552 and 553 and Ventura bus routes 903 and 527. The station is approximately or around a 26 minute train ride to Flinders Street.[5]
Preston railway station is located in the north-eastern suburb of Preston in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The station is owned by VicTrack, a state government agency and the station is operated by Metro Trains Melbourne.[2] The station is or around a 26 minute train ride to Flinders Street.[5] The adjacent stations are Bell station up towards Flinders Street and Regent station down towards Mernda.[5]
The station consists of a single island platform with two edges. As is standard in Melbourne, the platform has an asphalt surface with concrete on the edges. The island platform is approximately long, long enough for a 7 car High Capacity Metro Train.[6] The station features a ground level concourse, accessible from the elevated station platform via a lift and stairs.[4]
The station building, concourse and platform largely stayed the same since the station was rebuilt in 2022.[2] The station is listed as fully accessible on the Metro Trains website, as there are lifts and accessible features available at the station.[4]
Preston station opened on 8 October 1889, when the Inner Circle line was extended from North Fitzroy to Reservoir, Preston station, like the suburb itself, was named after Preston in Sussex, England.[7] [8] 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.[7]
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.[9] In 1973, the former ground level station buildings were provided, replacing the original 1889 structures.[10] In 1998, Preston was upgraded to a premium station.[11]
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,[12] [13] [14] with the rail line to be elevated over both roads.[15] On 4 October 2020, designs for the rebuilt station were released,[16] with major construction starting in February 2021.[17]
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.[18] [19] 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.[3]
Preston has a single island platform with two faces. The station is currently served by the Mernda line, part of the metropolitan railway network.[5] The Mernda line runs from Mernda station, north-east of Melbourne, joining with the Hurstbridge line at Clifton Hill station before travelling through Flinders Street station and back through the City Loop.[5]
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: