Town Hall Station

Town Hall railway station is the second-busiest railway station on the CityRail network (after Central station), located in Sydney, Australia. Located underground, it is situated in the Sydney central business district, under the street in front of the Sydney Town Hall, about 1.2 km north of Central.

History

The station opened on 28 February 1932, although originally only four of the platforms were in use. The final two platforms (now platforms 4 & 5) came into use when the Eastern Suburbs Line was opened on 23 June 1979. The Station had a major restructure in 2005 when the shops inside were closed to make way for the increasing crowds.

In April 2006, Transport Minister John Watkins announced plans for a $2 million inquiry into concept designs for upgrading the station. The station requires upgrading due to a large number of people using the station per day (70,000), and needs congestion relief to cater for an expected 2% yearly increase in commuters using the station.[1] Clyde Livingstone,a former Mayor of Burwood Council has been the Station Master since 1982.

Station Configuration

Town Hall has two levels, each with three platforms - physically two island platforms, but set up so that one faces two tracks and the other faces the other track. The station has lifts connecting the concourse with the platforms, providing Easy Access for wheelchairs. These facilities were constructed during 2003-2004.

The station is an easy walk to the Galeries Victoria & World Square monorail stations, located in the shopping centre adjacent to the station. It is also linked to other shopping centres such as the Queen Victoria Building, Town Hall Square and the Pavilion Shopping Centre.

Platforms/Service

The station services the CityRail trains of several lines: the Northern Line, the North Shore, the Eastern Suburbs line and the lines served by the City Circle, namely the Bankstown Line, the Airport & East Hills Line, and the South Line. Some South Coast line services which originate from Bondi Junction service the station in peak hours. The station's configuration means that easy cross-platform transfer is available for some services. Stairs and elevators connect the two platform levels without need to return to the concourse. The Station closes on the last train service and reopens on the first train service in the morning.

Upper Level:

Platform 1: (cross-platform transfer to Platform 2)

Inner West Line - all stations and limited stops services to Ashfield, Cabramatta and Liverpool via Regent's Park.

South Line - all stations and limited stops services to Glenfield and Campbelltown via Granville.

Airport & East Hills Line - all stations services around the City Circle (anticlockwise: to Central).

Bankstown Line - all stations services around the City Circle (anticlockwise: to Central).

Platform 2: (cross-platform transfer to Platform 1)

Platform 2 (Western and Northern Line platform; Platform 3 (North Shore line platformNorthern Line - all stations and limited stops services to Eastwood and Hornsby.

North Shore Line - all stations and limited stops services to Central, then Blacktown, Riverstone, Richmond, Penrith and Emu Plains via the Western Line.