Mitcham railway station, Melbourne

Mitcham railway station is a commuter railway station on the Belgrave and Lilydale lines, which are both part of the Melbourne railway network. It serves the eastern suburb of Mitcham, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Mitcham station is a below ground premium station, featuring two side platforms connected by a ground level concourse. It opened on 25 December 1882, with the current station provided in 2014.^[4]

Mitcham
PTV commuter rail station
Westbound view from Platform 1, October 2024
General information
Location	Mitcham Road, Mitcham, Victoria 3132 City of Whitehorse Australia
Coordinates	37°49′05″S 145°11′31″E
Owned by	VicTrack
Operated by	Metro Trains
Line(s)	Lilydale Belgrave
Distance	22.47 kilometres from Southern Cross
Platforms	2 side
Tracks	2
Connections	Bus
Construction
Structure type	Below ground
Parking	700
Bicycle facilities	22
Accessible	Yes—step free access
Other information
Status	Operational, premium station
Station code	MCH
Fare zone	Myki Zone 2
Website	Public Transport Victoria
History
Opened	25 December 1882; 142 years ago (1882-12-25)
Rebuilt	1989 25 January 2014
Electrified	January 1923 (1500 V DC overhead)
Passengers
2005–2006	1,076,423[1]
2006–2007	1,064,277[1]  1.12%
2007–2008	1,132,359[1]  6.4%
2008–2009	1,129,936[2]  0.21%
2009–2010	1,095,145[2]  3.08%
2010–2011	1,184,989[2]  8.2%
2011–2012	1,120,980[2]  5.4%
2012–2013	Not measured[2]
2013–2014	934,937[2]  16.6%
2014–2015	1,138,978[1]  21.82%
2015–2016	1,338,692[2]  17.53%
2016–2017	1,040,199[2]  22.3%
2017–2018	1,207,834[2]  16.1%
2018–2019	1,241,550[2]  2.79%
2019–2020	945,050[2]  23.9%
2020–2021	401,050[2]  57.6%
2021–2022	511,650[3]  27.57%
2022–2023	647,850[3]  26.62%
Services
Preceding station Metro Trains Following station Nunawading towards Flinders Street Lilydale line Heatherdale towards Lilydale Belgrave line Heatherdale towards Belgrave
Track layout Legend to Nunawading 1 2 to Heatherdale

History

Mitcham station opened on 25 December 1882, just over three weeks after the railway line from Camberwell was extended to Lilydale.^[4] Like the suburb itself, the station was named after a farm property, Mitcham Grove, owned by Wiliam Slater, a local who grew roses and herbs.^[5] Another theory is that Mitcham was named after a property, Mitcham Heights, itself named after Mitcham in Surrey, England.^[5]

In 1953, flashing light signals were provided at the former Mitcham Road level crossing, which was located at the down end of the station.^[4]

Until the 1970s, a shunting yard and goods shed existed where the southern car park exists today. Tracks remained embedded in the car park surface of that time, enabling parking for the great majority of the time when trains did not use the yard. In 1979, the station was one of three used as trial sites for new bike lockers under the Melbourne Bicycle Strategy, either for occasional, monthly or quarterly hire.^[6] Also occurring in that year, boom barriers were provided at the former level crossing.^[7] By 1985, goods services to and from the station ceased.^[4]

In 1989, the former ground level station buildings were provided, when the former signal box was relocated into the new building.^[4] On 4 April 1996, Mitcham was upgraded to a premium station.^[8]

On 2 January 2014, the original ground level station closed, as part of the grade separation project to replace the Mitcham Road and Rooks Road level crossings. It was replaced by a new below-ground station that opened on 25 January of that year.^[9][10]

Until their removal due to the level crossing removals, a crossover and siding were located at the up end of the station.^[4]

Mitcham was due to receive an upgraded commuter car park, following a 2019 commitment by the federal government. However, this was scrapped in 2021.^[11]

Platforms, facilities and services

Mitcham has two side platforms with a concourse above on ground level. The concourse features a customer service window, an enclosed waiting room, toilets and a café. Access to the platforms is provided by stairs, lifts and ramps.

The station is serviced by Metro Trains' Lilydale and Belgrave line services.^[12][13]

Platform 1:

•  Lilydale line  all stations and limited express services to Flinders Street
•  Belgrave line  all stations and limited express services to Flinders Street

Platform 2:

•  Lilydale line  all stations services to Lilydale
•  Belgrave line  all stations services to Belgrave

Transport links

Kinetic Melbourne operates four bus routes via Mitcham station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:

•  270 : to Box Hill station^[14]
•  370 : to Ringwood station^[15]
• SmartBus  901 : Frankston station – Melbourne Airport^[16]
• SmartBus  907 : to Lonsdale Street (Melbourne CBD)^[17]

Ventura Bus Lines operate four routes to and from Mitcham station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:

•  736 : to Blackburn station^[18]
•  738 : to Westfield Knox^[19]
•  740 : to Vermont East^[20]
•  765 : to Box Hill station^[21]

Gallery

• 
  Former ground level station building on Platform 1, April 2013, prior to demolition
• 
  Westbound view from Platform 1, January 2014