Arden | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Westbound view of the completed island platform at Arden, August 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| General information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Laurens Street, North Melbourne,Victoria 3051 City of Melbourne Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 37°48′07″S144°56′25″E / 37.80193°S 144.94031°E /-37.80193; 144.94031 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| System | FuturePTVheavycommuter rail station | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Owned by | VicTrack | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operated by | Metro Trains | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line | Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Distance | 6.37 kilometres from Southern Cross | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Platforms | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tracks | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Construction | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Structure type | Underground | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accessible | Yes—step free access | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Status | Under construction | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Station code | ARN | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fare zone | Myki Zone 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | Arden station | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opening | 30 November 2025; 4 days' time (2025-11-30)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Electrified | Yes (1500VDCoverhead) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Services | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| From 1 February 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Arden station is an undergroundMetro Trains Melbournerailway station on theCranbourne,Pakenham andSunbury lines, which are part of theMelbourne rail network. It will serve the inner north-westernMelbourne suburb ofNorth Melbourne inVictoria, Australia.
When opened as part of theMetro Tunnel project, Arden will be an underground premium station, featuring anisland platform with two platforms. Major construction commenced in April 2018 and completed in January 2024.[2][3] The station was constructed using thecut-and-cover method.[4][5][6] The station is set to open on 30 November 2025, along with the rest of the Metro Tunnel.[1]
The station sits in a major inner-city urban renewal area for Melbourne, and will anchor the new high-density suburb of Arden.[7] A structure plan for the former industrial area was gazetted in 2022.[8]
Arden Street was chosen as the site for a new railway station to support the expansion of the central city and provide a focus for the development of a new commercial, residential and activity centre inNorth Melbourne.[9]
TheVictorian government has stated that Arden station will support job creation by improving public transport access to inner-west Melbourne, an area which has been earmarked for urban renewal. Fifty-six hectares of land around the proposed Arden station, much of which is owned by the State Government, is earmarked for revitalisation as part of the project.[9][10] The new suburb is expected to house around 15,000 people and provide 34,000 jobs.[11]
The Arden Station location will also play a key role in supporting the construction of the western section of the Metro Tunnel, as it houses many important facilities such as a concrete batching facility, offices, and storage areas for concrete segments.[12] Tunnel boring machines were launched towards the western tunnel entrance in Kensington from this location in 2019.[13]
Following a state government-led naming competition, it was announced that the new station was to be named North Melbourne upon its completion, with theexisting North Melbourne railway station to be renamed West Melbourne.[14] However, after a number of security and logistical concerns relating to renaming the existing North Melbourne station became apparent, the government announced that it had decided to retain the station's working name of Arden.[15]
The station's external design, made out of clay brick, will reflect the area's industrial heritage.[16] A café will be included in the station, with areas for outdoor dining. New public gathering space will provide space for locals and passengers to enjoy. As the station may be prone to flooding, drainage at the station has been designed to capture the natural flow of rainwater and distribute it into nearby garden beds.[17]
The central gateway feature of the design is set of 15 large brick archways above the station entrance.[18] The concrete arches are lined with 104,000 locally manufactured bricks, and were made offsite then craned onto site in 2022.[17] The station entrance area is raised 150 centimetres (4 ft 11 in) to prevent flooding of the tunnel from the nearbyMoonee Ponds creek.[17] The station was designed byRSHP,Hassell andWeston Williamson.[18]
A permanent artwork is being created for the station byAbdul Abdullah as part of the Metro Tunnel project's legacy artwork program.[19] The artwork, titledCome Together, will cover the eastern facade of Arden with a mosaic recreating J.S. Calder’s paintingView from Royal Park across West Melbourne Swamp (1860) with outstretched aluminium hands reaching across the mosaic.[20]
The Metro Tunnel is set to transform the Arden precinct, with around 6,000 square metres (65,000 sq ft) of public gathering space likely to be created. As the area is also prone to flooding, the flood-resistant “urban sponge” landscape strategy will be used to absorb stormwater. This will include rain gardens, tree planters and permeable paving.[21] Nearby streets such as Laurens and Barwise Street will be upgraded to be more pedestrian-oriented.
| G | Street level | Entrance/Exit, customer service, retail |
| B1 | Concourse | |
| B2 Platforms | Platform1 | Sunbury line towardsSunbury(Footscray) → |
| Island platform, doors will open on the right | ||
| Platform2 | ← Sunbury line towardsPakenham orCranbourne(Parkville) | |
Yarra Trams operates one service via Arden Station on Abbotsford Street and Queensberry Street
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