Clayton railway station, Melbourne

Main entrance to Clayton station, located on Clayton Road

Clayton railway station is located in the suburb of Clayton. On the north side of the station is Carnish Road, and Clayton Road is to the west. The station is owned by VicTrack, a state government agency, and is operated by Metro Trains Melbourne.[5] The station is approximately 19 kilometres (11.8 mi), or around a 33 minute train ride away, from Flinders Street.[8]

Clayton station consists of a single island platform which is located above the road, and is connected to Clayton Road through either a lift and an escalator. The length of the platform is approximately 160 metres (520 ft), long enough for a Metro Trains' 7-car HCMT.[5]

The main car park at the station is located in between both Haughton Road and Carnish Road, just south of the station.[5] The station fully complies with the Disability Discrimination Act of 1992, as there is a lift that connects the station entrance with Platforms 1 and 2.[9]

North-westbound view from the from Clayton platform 2, the platforms shown were demolished in 2018

Opening on 6 January 1880, just over two years after the line from Oakleigh was extended to Dandenong, Clayton station, like the suburb itself, gets its name from the property Clayton Vale, owned by John Clayton in the 1860s and 1870s.[6] The property was located near the present day station.[10][11] The station originally opened as Clayton's Road, with the station receiving its current name, Clayton, in 1890.[6]

In 1971, boom barriers replaced interlocked gates at the former Clayton Road level crossing, which was located at the up end of the station.[12]

In 1998, Clayton was upgraded to a premium station.[13]

In March 2014, the Victorian State Government announced a grade separation project to replace the Clayton Road level crossing, as well as the Centre Road level crossing, located nearby in the down direction of the station. This included rebuilding a new Clayton station.[14] In April 2018, the rebuilt station opened, and was built above ground level. It is located along one of the three sections of elevated rail that were built to replace nine level crossings between Caulfield and Dandenong.[15]

In 2018, Clayton station was chosen as one of the stations that would be served by the Suburban Rail Loop. The station will receive a major upgrade, which will involve construction of two new underground platforms, as well as the conversion of the station to a transport superhub.[16] In June 2022, construction began just south of the station, with SRL East expected to open in 2035.[17]

The station is currently served by both the Pakenham and Cranbourne lines, which are operated by Metro Trains Melbourne. The station also served by the Gippsland line, which is operated by V/Line.[18]

Services to Pakenham and Cranbourne travel together south-east towards Dandenong before splitting into two separate lines. Services to the city run express from Caulfield (Malvern during off-peak) to South Yarra, before stopping all stations to Flinders Street via the City Loop.[18] Traralgon and Bairnsdale services run express to Pakenham, stopping at Dandenong, before stopping all stations after Pakenham. Services to the city run express to Caulfield, run express from Caulfield to Richmond, then stopping all stations to Southern Cross.[18]

Platform 1:

•  Pakenham line  all stations and limited express services to Flinders Street
•  Cranbourne line  all stations and limited express services to Flinders Street
•  Gippsland line  V/Line services to Southern Cross (set down only)

Platform 2:

•  Pakenham line  all stations and limited express services to Pakenham
•  Cranbourne line  all stations services to Cranbourne
•  Gippsland line  V/Line services to Traralgon, Sale (one Sunday morning service, pick up only) and Bairnsdale (one weekday service, pick up only)

Future services:
In addition to the current services, the Network Development Plan – Metropolitan Rail proposes linking the Pakenham and Cranbourne lines to both the Sunbury line and under-construction Melbourne Airport rail link, via the Metro Tunnel.[19]

From 2035 onwards, Clayton will be connected to the Suburban Rail Loop, which will operate from Southland to Box Hill, with services operating all the way to Werribee from 2050.

•  Sunbury line  express services to Sunbury (2025 onwards)
•  Airport line  express services to Melbourne Airport (2029 onwards)
•  Suburban Rail Loop East  services to Southland and Box Hill

Clayton is served by eight bus routes, including SmartBus route 703. Routes 704, 821, 824, 978, 979 and northbound services on routes 631, 703 and 733 depart from the interchange on Carnish Road,[20] where as southbound services on route 631, 703 and 733 depart from the bus stop on Clayton Road.[21]

• Media related to Clayton railway station, Melbourne at Wikimedia Commons
• Melway map at street-directory.com.au