State Library railway station is an under-construction rapid transit railway station on the Cranbourne railway line, Cranbourne, Pakenham railway line, Pakenham and Sunbury railway line, Sunbury lines, serving the Melbourne, Melbourne CBD in Victoria (state), Victoria, Australia. When opened as part of the Metro Tunnel project, State Library will be an underground premium station, featuring an island platform with two platforms. The station will connect directly to Melbourne Central railway station, Melbourne Central station via an underground concourse. The station will feature two street-level entrances on La Trobe Street, La Trobe and Franklin Streets and is named for the nearby State Library Victoria, State Library of Victoria. It will provide direct access to RMIT University, City Baths, Melbourne, Melbourne City Baths, Melbourne Central Shopping Centre, Melbourne Central shopping centre and the nearby Queen Victoria Market. Construction commenced in 2018 with the station scheduled to open in 2025.

History

In December 2008, the proposal for a new underground rail corridor running north-south through the Melbourne central business district, Melbourne CBD was incorporated into the Brumby Ministry's Victorian Transport Plan after originally featuring in a report from Rod Eddington. It was to be built in two stages: the first from Footscray, Victoria, Footscray to St Kilda Road, and the second continuing to Caulfield, Victoria, Caulfield. The need for a new rail corridor and stations through the CBD was identified in an effort to reduce congestion on the City Loop, enabling more frequent and reliable services across Railways in Melbourne, Melbourne's railway network. Following a change of Government of Victoria, State Government, in 2012/2013 the Baillieu Ministry, Baillieu and Napthine Ministry, Napthine Ministries announced a revised plan with the tunnel instead running from South Kensington railway station, South Kensington to South Yarra railway station, South Yarra along a similar route to the original proposal. The revised project included five underground stations, including one under the working title "CBD North" and was listed as the highest-priority infrastructure project in Melbourne by Infrastructure Australia. The project went unfunded due largely to tension between the state and Government of Australia, federal governments. In February 2015 the proposal was revived by the newly elected First Andrews ministry, Andrews Ministry with construction to commence in 2018 and the tunnel and stations planned to open in 2026. The total cost of the project is A$11 billion. The Metro Tunnel project began in 2015, with early works commencing on the two central business district (CBD) station sites in 2017. Major station works at State Library began in 2018. Sections of A'Beckett and Franklin streets were closed off and acoustic sheds constructed to minimise noise and dust, while small commercial buildings on the corner of Swanston and La Trobe streets were demolished to construct an access shaft for excavation. Cross Yarra Partnership, led by Lendlease, was named as the preferred bidder for the construction contract in July 2017 and designs for the project's five stations were presented by the consortium were released publicly, as well as details of connections to existing stations and streetscapes. Updated designs were released in 2018, and major construction commenced on the station that year. In August 2017, the Government launched a naming competition for the five new railway stations to be constructed as part of the Metro Rail Project. Following over 50,000 submissions, in November 2017 State Library was announced as the winning entry for the working-title CBD North station due to its proximity to the landmark State Library of Victoria building. In July 2019, road-headers broke through at State Library connecting two excavated caverns, with four road-headers used on the station in total. The first Tunnel Boring Machine, named Joan, broke through to State Library station in December 2020 before continuing south to Town Hall station. Tunneling was completed in April 2021. After the laying of track, Platform Screen Doors began being installed at State Library in early 2023. In June 2023, the first above-ground structures of the main station entrance on the corner of Swanston and La Trobe streets were built, with large oversized beams craned in overnight to sit above the main bank of escalators. Works began on the underground connection between State Library and the existing Melbourne Central railway station, Melbourne Central station, including new escalators to the Melbourne Central platforms. Excavation at the La Trobe street site was completed in July 2023, marking the end of excavation across the Metro Tunnel project, and the first State Library acoustic sheds were planned to be dismantled in August.

Design

Melbourne Metro Tunnel State Library station construction site 2018

The initial build method chosen for construction was Tunnel#Cut-and-cover, cut-and-cover, however this was changed to a deeper, mined station in order to avoid significant disruption and to keep trams running along the world's busiest tram corridor, Swanston Street. The station platforms sit below Swanston Street, the city's deepest station, due to the need to sit below the existing four City Loop tunnels. Like Town Hall station, State Library is designed using a unique "trinocular" construction method involving three large, overlapping mined tunnels with vaulted ceilings. Large arches will define the long platforms. The station was designed by architects RSHP, Hassell (architecture firm), Hassell and Weston Williamson.

Art

Australian artist Danie Mellor has been commissioned to create a permanent artwork for the station as part of the Metro Tunnel's legacy artwork program. In 2024 it was revealed that this artwork would be printed glass panels forming the station's large glass facade on its La Trobe Street entrance. The artwork will be a collage of Mellor's photography and historical portraits of Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung women sourced from the nearby State Library of Victoria.

State Library station precinct

The railway station is located below Swanston Street between La Trobe Street, La Trobe and Streets in the northern edges of Melbourne's CBD. The station will connect with Melbourne Central railway station, Melbourne Central station via a pedestrian walkway, enabling transfer from other Railways in Melbourne#Lines, metropolitan lines and will have entrances at the corner of Latrobe/Swanston Street and Franklin/Swanston Street, enabling more convenient access to City Baths, Melbourne, City Baths and Queen Victoria Market. Tram services will be accessible on Swanston and La Trobe Streets. Updated precinct designs for State Library were released in 2022, which included the installation of separated bike lanes on Franklin Street. In July 2023, plans were released by the City of Melbourne for a redesign of Franklin Street between the northern entrance to State Library and a new public square at the Queen Victoria Market. The plans include a narrowing of Franklin Street and the creation of separated bike lanes and 1,250 square metres of linear park, a continuation of the Franklin Street works being delivered by the Metro Tunnel project.

Services

The services from 2025 are the following: Platform 1: * All stations and limited express services to Sunbury railway station, Melbourne, Sunbury Platform 2: * Express services to East Pakenham railway station, East Pakenham and Cranbourne railway station, Cranbourne

Transport Links

Passengers can use Melbourne Central Station to connect to other Metro Trains services from State Library Station * all stations and limited stop services to Hurstbridge railway station, Hurstbridge * all stations and limited stop services to Mernda railway station, Mernda * all stations and limited stop services to Lilydale railway station, Lilydale * all stations and limited stop services to Belgrave railway station, Belgrave * all stations and limited stop services to Glen Waverley railway station, Glen Waverley * weekday all stations and limited stop services to Alamein railway station, Alamein * all stations and limited stop services to Craigieburn railway station, Craigieburn * all stations and limited stop services to Upfield railway station, Upfield Yarra Trams operates 10 services via Latrobe Street and Swanston Street. Swanston Street *: Coburg, Victoria, East Coburg – South Melbourne, South Melbourne Beach *: Melbourne University tram stop, Melbourne University – Malvern East, Victoria, East Malvern *: Melbourne University tram stop, Melbourne University – Malvern, Victoria, Malvern *: Moreland railway station, Moreland – Glen Iris, Victoria, Glen Iris *: Melbourne University tram stop, Melbourne University – Kew, Victoria, Kew *: Melbourne University tram stop, Melbourne University – Brighton East, Victoria, East Brighton *: Melbourne University tram stop, Melbourne University – Carnegie, Victoria, Carnegie *: Melbourne University tram stop, Melbourne University – Camberwell, Victoria, Camberwell La Trobe Street *: St Vincent's Plaza – Docklands, Victoria, Central Pier Docklands *: City Circle tram, City Circle

Gallery

File:Melbourne Metro Tunnel State Library station construction site A'Beckett St 2019.jpg, State Library station acoustic shed at A'Beckett Street, July 2019 File:SL Station Feb 2024.jpg, State Library station under construction,
February 2024 File:Structure of entrance to new State Library Station under construction on corner of La Trobe Street and Swanston Street, Melbourne.jpg, Construction progress, June 2024. File:State Library Station.jpg, Construction progress, 2024. File:State Library station Melbourne main entrance under construction 2025.jpg, Artwork installed as part of entrance construction, March 2025.

References

Notes

Buildings and structures in Melbourne City Centre Proposed railway stations in Melbourne Railway stations scheduled to open in 2025 Railway stations located underground in Melbourne Railway stations in the City of Melbourne (LGA)