The short answer
Flinders Street Station is Melbourne’s best-known landmark and Australia’s oldest train station, on the corner of Flinders and Swanston Streets, opposite Federation Square. The building was completed in 1910. It is free to walk past and through; you only need a myki or contactless card to ride a train.
Flinders Street Station at a glance
- Where: Swanston Street and Flinders Street, Melbourne 3000 (Zone 1)
- Open: a working station; trains run all day and through Friday and Saturday nights
- Cost: free to visit; train fares by myki or contactless
- Getting there: it is the hub of the train network; trams stop out the front in the Free Tram Zone
- Time to allow: 10 to 15 minutes for photos of the facade and clocks
- Step-free access: lifts, escalators and accessible toilets; some platforms have independent boarding only in part
Checked on 14 Nov 2026 at the City of Melbourne and Metro Trains. Check before you travel, as works can change services.
Key takeaways: 6 essential facts
- Oldest: the City of Melbourne calls it Australia’s oldest train station.
- Built: the building was completed in 1910.
- Ballroom: the upper floors were built for a library, gym and lecture hall, later used as a ballroom.
- Long platform: its 708-metre main platform is the fourth longest railway platform in the world.
- Busy: over 1,500 trains and 110,000 commuters pass through each day.
- Fares: Transport Victoria says public transport is half price until 1 January 2027.
Flinders Street Station history
The City of Melbourne’s What’s On guide describes the station as Australia’s oldest train station. Its green copper dome, yellow facade, arched entrance, tower and clocks make it one of the most recognisable buildings in the city.
The building you see today was completed in 1910. It is heritage-listed, and it is still one of the busiest suburban stations in the Southern Hemisphere. The council puts the daily numbers at over 1,500 trains and 110,000 commuters.
The station’s main platform is 708 metres long, which the council says makes it the fourth longest railway platform in the world. Walk along the Flinders Street side and you can see how far the building stretches west towards Elizabeth Street.
The Flinders Street Station ballroom
The station’s upper floors were purpose-built for a library, a gym and a lecture hall. The lecture hall was later used as a ballroom, which is why people still search for the Flinders Street Station ballroom today.
The upper floors are not part of the working station, so you can’t walk up to see them on a normal visit. Any public openings, such as tours or events, are announced by their organisers, so check official event listings before you plan around it.
Catching a train at Flinders Street Station
The station is in Zone 1. You need a myki or a contactless bank card, phone or watch, and you touch on and off at the gates. Metro says myki works out the lowest fare for your trip. Transport Victoria lists public transport fares at half price until 1 January 2027, so check before you travel.
- Timetables and platforms: use the departure screens in the station, the PTV app or the Metro station page.
- Works: when we checked, Metro listed rail replacement buses and planned works for some services. Check the Metro page on the day you travel.
- Phone help: the City of Melbourne lists 131 638 for train times, platforms, access and fares.
- Late nights: trains run through the night on Fridays and Saturdays, according to the City of Melbourne.
Flinders Street Station map and access
Metro’s station page has the official map, with the entrances, platforms and facilities. It lists these access features:
| Feature | At Flinders Street |
|---|---|
| Customer service staff | Yes |
| Lifts and escalators | Yes |
| Independent boarding | In part: platforms 1, 4, 5 and 6 |
| Low platform | In part: platforms 7 and 12. The ramp to the train may be steeper than 1 in 8, so you may need help |
| Hearing loop and information screens | Yes |
| Accessible toilets | Yes (some toilets have set opening hours) |
| Accessible parking, bike facilities, pick-up and drop-off | None at the station |
Metro also notes that not all paths are at least 1,200 mm wide. If you need help boarding, ask the customer service staff.
What’s near Flinders Street Station
The station sits at the southern edge of the city grid, so many sights are a short walk away. Walking times are estimates.
- Federation Square: directly opposite, across Flinders Street.
- Melbourne Skydeck: about 5 minutes across the river in Southbank (our Skydeck guide).
- SEA LIFE Melbourne: about 10 minutes west, at Flinders and King Streets.
- The Yarra River and Southbank Promenade: just behind the station.
Trams stop right outside on Flinders and Swanston Streets. Both are inside the Free Tram Zone, so tram trips that start and end in the city grid are free.
Tips for visiting
- Best photos: stand on the Federation Square side of the Flinders and Swanston crossing to fit the dome and clocks in one shot.
- At night, the facade is lit and the street is quieter than at peak hour.
- Peak hours on weekdays are busy, so keep to the left on the stairs and ramps.
- Touch off as you leave, even if you have a day’s travel already paid.
Questions people ask
How old is Flinders Street Station?
It is Australia’s oldest train station, says the City of Melbourne. The present building was completed in 1910.
Can you go inside the Flinders Street Station ballroom?
Not on a normal visit. The ballroom is on the upper floors, which are not part of the working station. Check official event listings for any public openings.
Where is the Flinders Street Station map?
Metro Trains has the official station map, with entrances, platforms and facilities, on its Flinders Street station page.
Is Flinders Street Station wheelchair accessible?
Yes, with lifts, escalators, staff and accessible toilets. Independent boarding is available only on some platforms, so ask staff if you need help.
Is Flinders Street Station in the Free Tram Zone?
Yes. The tram stops outside the station are inside the Free Tram Zone. Trains are not free.
How long is the platform at Flinders Street Station?
The main platform is 708 metres long, which the City of Melbourne says is the fourth longest railway platform in the world.
Flinders Street Station: the bottom line
Stop at the station for the dome and clocks, cross to Federation Square for the best photo, and use it as your base for trains and free trams. Touch on and off with myki or contactless. Services and works change, so check before you travel.
Sources
All checked on 14 November 2026.
- City of Melbourne, What’s On Melbourne, Flinders Street Railway Station: history, 1910, upper floors and ballroom, platform length, daily trains and commuters, phone line
- Metro Trains, Flinders Street station page: zone, map, facilities and access, myki, planned works
- Transport Victoria, Visitors to Victoria: myki and contactless, half-price fares (checked 13 Nov 2026)
- City of Melbourne, Public transport: Free Tram Zone, all-night weekend trains