Circular Quay | |||||||||||||||||||||
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 Circular Quay railway station, looking south fromSydney Harbour, September 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| General information | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Alfred Street, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 33°51′41″S151°12′40″E / 33.8614°S 151.211°E /-33.8614; 151.211 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Owned by | Transport Asset Holding Entity | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Operated by | Sydney Trains | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Line(s) | City Circle | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Distance | 2.6 km (1.6 mi) fromCentral | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Platforms | 2 side | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Tracks | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Connections | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Construction | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Structure type | Elevated | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Accessible | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Architect | John Bradfield(designer) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Architectural style | Inter-War Functionalist[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Other information | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Status | Staffed | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Station code | CQY | ||||||||||||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Opened | 20 January 1956 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Electrified | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Passengers | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023[3] |
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| Services | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Circular Quay railway station is aheritage-listed[1] elevatedrailway station that is located on theCity Circle line, serving theCircular Quay precinct of theSydney central business district inNew South Wales, Australia. It is served bySydney Trains'T2 Leppington & Inner West Line,T3 Liverpool & Inner West Line andT8 Airport & South Line services.
It is adjacent to theCircular Quay ferry wharf complex, which serves as an interchange toSydney Ferries. It is also adjacent toCircular Quay light rail station which is the terminus of theL2 Randwick Line and L3 Kingsford Line ofSydney's light rail network.
Circular Quay is an area of historical significance forSydney, as it was for a long time the central harbour of a settlement which relied on shipping for its connection to the outside world. By the 20th century, ferry commuter wharves began to eclipse commercial shipping wharves as the dominant feature of the Quay area. The area became a transport hub as it served as the terminus of bothferry andtram services.[1]
Planning for a railway station here to complement this transport hub began in 1909, and work was authorised in 1915. Tunnels to link the surrounding stations to the future Circular Quay station were built fromCentral between 1917 and 1926 toSt James (eastern section) and 1932 toWynyard (western section). Work on the section of the railway through Circular Quay began in 1936, was interrupted byWorld War II, and recommenced in 1945. Work was again interrupted between 1951 and 1953 with the viaduct finally completed in 1954.[1] The supporting beams were fabricated atChullora Railway Workshops in the 1930s. They were used during the construction of theHawkesbury River Railway Bridge in the 1940s, before being returned to Chullora.
Designs for the station building itself commenced in 1927, revised in 1937, and the station was finally completed and opened on 20 January 1956 byState PremierJoseph Cahill, with the first regular train services beginning on 22 January.[4] The completion of Circular Quay station marked the completion of the City Circle railway asoriginally envisaged byJohn Bradfield making it the newest station on the line.
The construction and placement of the station was always controversial due to its prominent location at the head of Circular Quay, an important natural and cultural landmark and visitors' attraction. When theCahill Expressway opened above the station in 1958, the controversy over the entire structure only intensified. There have been various proposals to relocate the station underground in conjunction with the demolition of the Cahill Expressway, however these have not come to fruition.
Along with Central station, Circular Quay received one of the first easy access upgrades which included lift access prior to September 1998.
In 2006,RailCorp performed maintenance and cleaning of the station's 50-year-old facade.[5] A refurbishment in 2007 introduced sun-shading awnings on the platforms, removed advertising hoarding between the tracks, and improved facilities on the concourse level.
Circular Quay station features a ground-level central concourse, and elevated platforms on a second level. Both platforms feature sections of open galleries, offering views to Circular Quay, theSydney Harbour Bridge and theSydney Opera House on one side, andCustoms House and theAlfred Street plaza on the other. Viaducts lead from the elevated platforms to tunnels through surrounding elevated terrain that lead to neighbouring stations.
The station has two main, double-storey facades, facing Circular Quay to the north, and Customs House to the south respectively. The northern facade is faced with polished granite tiles, while the southern one features polished granite and sandstone. The station name is featured in steel lettering on both sides. The upper storey of the facades correspond to the central sections of the platforms, and feature steel-framed windows. The exterior of the remainder of the platform feature open, glass-railed galleries, supported on the lower level by a continuation of the central facade.[1] The top of the northern, harbour-facing facade is incorporated into the viewing platform and rest area located above the station alongside the Cahill Expressway roadway. This platform can be reached from the pedestrian walkway on the Cahill Expressway.
The station platforms are reached from the ground level concourse via stairs, escalators and lifts. The central concourse is surrounded on either side by retail and food shops and public toilets located under the elevated platforms. The concourse is decorated with brass details in an aquatic animal motif, seen in sculpted grills above stairways and doorways. Glass bricks are used extensively in various parts.
The station is in an inter-war functionalist style, as seen in the strong horizontal lines presented by the windows and galleries, withart deco details.[1]
| Platform | Line | Stopping pattern | Notes |
| 1 | services toHomebush,Parramatta,Leppington | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| services toLiverpool viaLidcombe andRegents Park | |||
| 2 | services toSydenham services toRevesby &Macarthur viaAirport stations 2 weekday evening services toCampbelltown |
South-east of the railway station is the Alfred Street bus terminus. A number ofTransdev John Holland routes originate from there while twoBig Bus Tours routes depart fromGeorge Street just north ofAlfred Street.[6][7][8]
Adjacent to the station to the north liesCircular Quay wharf that is served byCaptain Cook Cruises,Manly Fast Ferry andSydney Ferries services.
West of the bus terminus and also at Alfred Street is the Circular Quay light rail stop, which is the northern terminus for the L2 Randwick and L3 Kingsford lines.[9]
Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) underCC BY 4.0licence.
