Flinders Street Railway Station

This is the iconic flinders building you see in a lot of touristy photos of Melbourne. I love that this city doesn’t demolish old buildings, but keeps on using them, keeping the history alive throughout the years. And at the same time, updating the building’s functions to keep it modern. There is free Wi-​Fi offered throughout the station.
Flinders Street Station is a fully functioning train station. There is a ground level concourse and an underground part that connects to DeGraves street. There is plenty to eat, some places to shop, and bathrooms available.
It’s in a convenient area of the CBD, across the street from Federation Square. Being a city landmark, sometimes there are protest rallies held here.
I ate some really delicious Phở here, as well.
Even if you don’t want to ride the train, this gorgeous building and delicious eating options make it worth a look.

Flinders Street Railway Station is definitely pretty site to see when you’re across from it but I don’t think it’s as spectacular as Grand Central Terminal in New York. It definitely has it’s charm. The colors are yellowish. It’s like God took a piss on it after a long night of binge drinking in Australia.
The station lights up at night and makes it more pleasing to look at. It’s like how someone looks a little more attractive after a few drinks at the bar. Feel me? Anyway, it’s definitely worth a stop for a photo opportunity and to say you were here. Final verdict? I like it.

Like any capital city central station anywhere in the world, it’s loud, busy, impersonal. Everyone is in a hurry and if you are not familiar with it, it can be intimidating as the locals all seem to know what to do and where to go.
Make sure you have your Myki card topped up and ready before you get to the barriers. Smile at the Authorized Officers (don’t expect one in return). Check the timetable and platform on the website before you arrive — then expect to forget that as Metro makes it up as they go.
The escalators to the platforms can be over-​crowded so be patient. Stand on the left or walk on the right. And if both escalators are going up, don’t try to go up the stairs as all of the downward people will be trying to come the other way.
There are elevators — if you can find them. Most mornings I see people struggling with prams on the escalators because they didn’t know there were elevators.

It’s dodgy, dingy and can contain lots of scum!
But it’s there when I need it and it gets me from A to B!

What does it take to appreciate your surroundings? As a Melbournian of long standing I have been travelling the public transport route for at least a decade and twice a day traverse the concourse of Flinders Street Railway Station.
My New years (2014) resolution is to join the 365 project —
— and this has meant I have become a real camera addict. It has also brought me into conflict with Flinders Street Staff who insist that my carrying an in-​your-​face camera makes you more of a target than say the 1.2 million iphone users who happily snap off shots left right and centre. The exscuse why photographing one of our most important icons is that the powers to be are concerned that journalists might just photograph trains that have graffiti on them and use the results negitively. Well I have news for them. What trains do NOT have graffiti on them and all I have to do is walk outside the station cross over to Princes Bridge and snap away at trains passing beneath me.
Still I am a fan and my new eye has picked up a great many wonderful and obscure pieces within the building to photograph. I will include a piece of art that is hanging on the wall above the toilets in the main concourse. I love it but never noticed it until my 365 project kicked off. If someone has any information about this I would be grateful for a buzz or even a Unilocal with the info.

While flinders street is an amazing structure I think that the owners of this building have really neglected it compared to some of the other old structures in Melbourne.
It’s disgusting to think that one of Melbourne’s heritage buildings can be left in such a state of disrepair with peeling paint and missing tiles!
It seems that all the money and effort has been put into looking after spencer street. :(

If you want to know more about Flinders please read other reviews. They are great. This is personal Flinders.
You’ve had it coming for a while now. You know what I’m talking about.
Don’t play coy.
It’s time you were exposed for the seductive mistress you really are…
Sure you really are a hot little number… Tall, blonde what more could a simple man like myself ask?
HERE’S WHAT…
An extra, I don’t know, let’s say forty Myki top up machines so we don’t have to wait behind the long line of tourists trying to work out how the hell they buy a ticket then spending 10 minutes trying to work out which type they need (Myki money or pass). Mean while, I’ve missed five trains and now they wanna pay with eftpos! And there is three of the bloody tourists in that one group !
AND HERE, MY FRIENDS, ARE A FEW RULES…
Have your Myki ready before you hit the barriers. AND take it out of your wallet/​purse. Otherwise you’ll get the dreaded «multiple cards detected».
When traveling on the escalator STAND TO THE LEFT!!!
In fact, if you can’t manage the few short steps up the escalator, get the lift. Coz you’ve just given up on life, make way for those that haven’t.
Do not buy ANYTHING from those between platform thingy kiosks coz it’s NOT GOOD.
NEVER use the bathrooms unless you are after SCURVY.
Other than that, Flinders St station is a lovely and historical Melbourne landmark. Just not during peak hour when the massively annoying platform attendants scream out the next train, as opposed to the staton master and the automated announcements.
Coz I can read. And for those who can’t, you’re talking over the top of each other IS NOT
HELPFUL!!!

Not enough of those stupid and SLOW Myki machines. Where and when to catch trains is not self explanatory for people who don’t regularly catch trains. Trains are leaving from different platforms to get to the same station, and at times the information board about where the train is going is wrong.
The upside is that the staff in the information centre are friendlier than you would expect.

Such a city icon, looks great lit up at night. It’s the hub of a cosmopolitan city and the place to meet up right under the clocks.

Usually my first stop when I arrive into the city from Cranbourne. I love the old worldly feel of this building. Great place to meet up with friends on the way to other venues and places within walking or tram distance.

The grand dame of Melbourne.
I’d love to see this lovingly restored and opened up as a more of a hub. But that won’t happen until we all start treating her like the lady, Flinders Street is.
If you are around the Campbell Arcade entrance, head towards platform 10 via the subway and check the blast from the past, trains to Port Melbourne and St Kilda. Who’s brainwave was it to close those lines (headslap).
Sure she has her faults, the facilities should only ever be used in absolute emergencies, missing tiles, myki ect) but anybody with that much history will always have a few rough edges.
Put your phone away and look around. She’s a wonderful old girl.

Wow. What an icon is this station. The architecture, location and the fact that it has been with melbourne since, well, melbourne has been melbourne.
Due to its location this station is also meeting place for trains and all the passenger wherever the train could possibly come and go.
However, sadly some aspects of this station (i.e toilets, the platforms, ticketing system, the technology) have remained in the past as Melbourne have grown. It gets very crowded and is unable to cope with the amount of passengers during rush hours.

If you’re visiting Melbourne, it’s a great central point to start exploring the city.

Lord of the Fries. That is all.
There is not much else to say other than this train station is the central hub of Victoria’s train network.
Did you know that the number on the gantries along a train line increase as you move away from Flinders street?

This Melbourne landmark is the central meeting point in the city.
Essentially it’s just a train station, but it’s where all trains start and end. It’s so much more than a station, it’s our icon. The steps of flinders st are often littered with people waiting, chatting or just plain loitering around.
Like all stations, you need a valid ticket to enter, once inside you’ll find all platforms are neatly labeled and on the right-​hand side of the building. Departure times are displayed on screens at the entrance and at each platform entry.
During peak hours flinders st does become very busy and fast paced, it’s easy to get in someone’s way and be knocked about if you don’t know where you’re going. There is usually a wait to get on the escalator/​stairs after coming off a peak hour train.
Overall this central station is a wonder to look at from the outside, also a very practical and easy to navigate station.

If you are looking for an instantly recognisable meeting spot in Melbourne, «under the clocks» has to be the most popular. Flinder’s famed clocks have been a meeting spot forever and a day and the steps underneath can get super-​congested with people hanging around.
The station is probably Melbourne’s busiest and most central, with every train coming through her at some stage during its route.
It is an architectural jewel of the city and there are mutterings every few years about a major renovation that never seems to eventuate. There are some legendary ballrooms that have fallen into disrepair that I dearly hope see the light of day once more.

One of Melbourne’s most prominent, touristy and noticeable landmarks that gives Melbourne a distinctive local flavour. A common congested pathway and meeting spot. Thank goodness for Federation Square across the road as an alternate and newish meeting spot in Melbourne; just like how Sydney has the Sydney Town Hall as the meeting hotspot mecca for friends to catch up.
This station gets busy, and busy would be a clear understatement here. This is more the equivalent of Central Station in Sydney. The MyKi machines can be a little problematic, and a little congestion is expected as you alight from a train here. Catching a train here is normally fuss free; although it is expected to be crazy during peak hour.
The best time to catch a train from this station is early morning on the weekends outbound. It is great to be able to grab a bite to eat before catching your train; although it feels like your going on a long distance train trip rather than two stops away to South Yarra if you do so. Best to be prepared and eat something beforehand; and know exactly which platform your train departs as to not get caught in the sometimes heavy traffic trap here.

Flinders street Train Station is Australia’s oldest and most well known train station and is one of, if not the most infamous Melbourne institution and landmark.
Building of this impressive city masterpiece was finalised in 1910 and the heritage of the original building has remained in tact.
Standing statuesque on the corners of Flinders st, St Kilda rd and Swanston st, this striking gold building, with castle like turrets can be seen half way up Elizabeth street, and if you say «meet me at the clocks», everyone knows you’re talking about the giant clocks located on the façade of the entrance. Decorative, well known and informative, the clocks show the times of the next departing and arriving trains for each train line.
When I first moved to Melbourne from the country nothing made me feel more like a Melbournian than walking the steps up Flinders st to meet friends for coffee.

Derail (yep, I really went there) at Flinders Street Station and find yourself in the heart of Melbourne!
According to my grandma the only place to be on a Friday night in the 1940’s was at the dances hosted in the Flinders Street Station ballroom! The tradition of meeting up with your beau at Flinders Street hasn’t changed much over the decades. Glance beneath the iconic clocks at the main entrance of the station and most likely you will find teenage lovers embracing on the steps, suited office workers saying their goodbyes, and probably at least one confused tourist. The steps of Flinders Street Station get a little «messy» in the wee hours of Friday and Saturday nights… consider yourself warned!
Flinders Street Station will get you in and out of Melbourne’s CBD with hopefully little confusion. Screens announce the destination of each train on all platforms, you will find clean bathrooms and overpriced food kiosks.
Yes, it is just a transport hub, but an iconic one!

The heart of Melbourne transportation, it is a massive railways station that services trains with tram stops nearby on every corner. All roads lead to Rome? All roads lead to Flinders!
3 stars because the architecture looks great and it truly is a Melbourne icon. Beautiful classic Victorian-​style exterior.
However, I’m rating it is as a train station as well.
Atmosphere:
Although the outside of the train station looks impressive, the inside is awful. Dirty, a tad bit smelly, with chipping paint — it’s not a wonder why all the «iconic» photos of Flinders Station are taken from the outside rather than the inside. Watch out for the Flinders Kids on the steps by the way — they’re a bit loopy. Or maybe they’re just ~*ToO EdGy*~ for me? No idea.
Customer Service:
Non-​existent, bar the people handing out The MX.
TIPS:
~ If you know that you’re low on funds for your Myki, do not top up at one of the Myki top up machines. I repeat: DO NOT. You will miss your train and I can guarantee you that.
~ You will NOT find the entrance to Platform 1 in that small underground walkway. You can find the entrances to pretty much all the platforms except 1. Walk all the way around or go inside the station itself. Unfortunately, during White Night I was unable to do this and thus had to walk around the exterior of the station.