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Royal Park
PTV commuter rail station
Southbound view from Platform 1, October 2024
General information
Other names	Royal Park – Zoo
Location	Poplar Road, Parkville, Victoria 3052 City of Melbourne Australia
Coordinates	37°46′53″S 144°57′06″E / 37.7813°S 144.9517°E / -37.7813; 144.9517
Owned by	VicTrack
Operated by	Metro Trains
Line(s)	Upfield
Distance	5.46 kilometres from Southern Cross
Platforms	2 side
Tracks	2
Connections	Bus Tram
Construction
Structure type	Ground
Accessible	Yes—step free access
Other information
Status	Operational, unstaffed
Station code	RPK
Fare zone	Myki Zone 1
Website	Public Transport Victoria
History
Opened	9 September 1884; 140 years ago (1884-09-09)
Electrified	December 1920 (1500 V DC overhead)
Passengers
2005–2006	177,600
2006–2007	210,077  18.28%
2007–2008	243,256  15.79%
2008–2009	296,238  21.78%
2009–2010	297,410  0.39%
2010–2011	290,675  2.26%
2011–2012	313,084  7.71%
2012–2013	Not measured
2013–2014	307,711  1.71%
2014–2015	315,380  2.49%
2015–2016	312,245  0.99%
2016–2017	339,226  8.64%
2017–2018	337,560  0.49%
2018–2019	357,050  5.77%
2019–2020	269,450  24.53%
2020–2021	117,850  56.3%
2021–2022	156,050  32.41%
Services
Preceding station Metro Trains Following station Flemington Bridgetowards Flinders Street Upfield line Jewelltowards Upfield
Former services Preceding station   Disused railways   Following station Junction   Inner Circle line   North Carlton   List of closed railway stations in Melbourne
Track layout Legend to Flemington Bridge Poplar Road 12 to Jewell

Royal Park railway station is a commuter railway station on the Upfield line, part of the Melbourne railway network. It serves the northern suburb of Parkville in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Royal Park station is a ground-level unstaffed station, featuring two side platforms. It opened on 9 September 1884.

It is located in the park of the same name, and is the nearest station to Melbourne Zoo. A disused signal box is located at the up end of Platform 1.

History

Royal Park station opened on 9 September 1884, when the railway line was extended from North Melbourne to Coburg. The original plan for the route of the line through Royal Park was to be east of the Zoological Gardens, but after local protests against the destruction of the park, a decision was made to build the line to the west for "reasons of economy". On opening, only temporary station buildings were provided, along with a signal box and gatekeepers cottage.

On 8 May 1888, Royal Park became a junction, with the opening of the Inner Circle line, to both Clifton Hill and Northcote. At the same time, a timber station building and station masters residence were erected. Between 1889 and 1912, there was a goods siding near the station, named Royal Park Cutting Siding.

In 1920, the current station building on Platform 1 opened, after the original station building was destroyed by fire in 1919. It opened with a tile roof in the "Gisborne style" and, in 1936, a new waiting shed and ticket office replaced earlier structures on Platform 2.

In 1971, boom barriers replaced interlocked gates at the Poplar Road level crossing, located at the up end of the station, when automatic signaling reached the station from Jewell, with automatic signaling extended to Macaulay in 1972. In 1981, the Inner Circle line (by then a goods-only stub to Fitzroy) was closed and, in 1989, the waiting shed on Platform 2 was destroyed by arson. In 1994, the signal box on Platform 1 was closed.

Platforms and services

Royal Park has two side platforms. It is serviced by Metro Trains' Upfield line services.

Platform 1:

•  Upfield line  all stations services to Flinders Street

Platform 2:

•  Upfield line  all stations services to Upfield

Transport links

Dysons operates one route via Royal Park station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:

•  505 : Moonee Ponds Junction – Melbourne University

Yarra Trams operates one route via Royal Park station:

• : West Coburg – Toorak

Gallery

• Southbound view from Platform 2, October 2019
• Northbound view from Platform 2, October 2024
• Station building and entrance to Platform 1, October 2024
• Station shelter on Platform 2, October 2024
• The "Royal Park-Zoo" station signage on Platform 1 to accommodate the nearby Melbourne Zoo, October 2024

References

1. ^ Estimated Annual Patronage by Network Segment Financial Year 2005–2006 to 2018–19 Department of Transport
2. ^ Railway station and tram stop patronage in Victoria for 2008–2021 Philip Mallis
3. Annual metropolitan train station patronage (station entries) Data Vic
4. ^ "Royal Park". vicsig.net. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
5. ^ Jon Saul and Wendy Moore (May 1990). Down the line to Upfield. Coburg Public Transport Group.
6. ^ Andrew Waugh. "VR History by Andrew Waugh – Upfield Line" (PDF). VR History. Retrieved 24 February 2009.
7. "Upfield Line". Public Transport Victoria.
8. "505 Moonee Ponds - Melbourne University via Parkville Gardens". Public Transport Victoria.
9. "58 West Coburg - Toorak". Public Transport Victoria.

External links

Media related to Royal Park railway station, Melbourne at Wikimedia Commons

• Melway map at street-directory.com.au

• Railway stations in Australia opened in 1884
• Railway stations in the City of Melbourne (LGA)