Balaclava Station Upgrade

The Balaclava Station Upgrade project will improve access to the station, deliver new shelters and amenities, and provide a better, more welcoming station for the community.

Following the upgrade the station will become a premium station and be staffed each day from first train to last train.

What's happening

View the August newsletter for the latest project information including an update on community feedback provided on the concept designs in April and May.

The August newsletter is available for download in publications.

Community and stakeholder feedback provided during the concept design period is being considered in the development of the final design.

Further information will be provided prior to the commencement of construction.

Project overview

The Victorian Government has committed $13.3 million to upgrade Balaclava Station.

The Balaclava Station Upgrade project aims to provide a station that:

is accessible for all
is a safe, attractive and welcoming environment
that can meet the needs of the future
facilitates connections between transport modes and through the Carlisle Street precinct

Balaclava Station will benefit from a comprehensive refurbishment. The station is one of the most popular on the Sandringham line, with around 3,100 passengers using it each weekday.

The Balaclava Station upgrade project will focus on improving access to the station, with new wide ramps and stairs to ensure that people with limited mobility are able to safely access the station.

Security will be increased with improved CCTV and lighting, and following the upgrade the station will be fully staffed from first train to last train, seven days a week.

Several sections of the station platforms will be widened to provide more room for waiting passengers, particularly at the Carlisle Street end of the city-bound platform.

The project will also deliver better amenities at the station, such as platform seats, lighting and additional shelter coverage.

The toilets will be refurbished and upgraded, and there will be better passenger information.

Developing the proposed design

The following criteria were considered in the development of options for the station building and design of the ramps and stairs to the high station platforms:

Access for people with a disability
Provides safe and legal access for people with a disability, including landings and ramps which can reach the six metre high platform with a legally-compliant gradient.

Station entry close to Carlisle Street
Locates the main access point as close as possible to Carlisle Street which the majority of people use to access the station.

Single entry point for ticketing and safety
Provides a single entry point to the station for ticketing facilities, and enables surveillance of station area by staff to improve customer safety.

Facilitates Council’s Balaclava Walk
Caters for the proposed Balaclava Walk, a project being developed by the City of Port Phillip to make the path connection along the rail line wider and more inviting.

Can be constructed in a narrow space
Ramps and widened platforms can be built in the constrained space between the station and adjacent structures, and construction impact on adjacent residents and traders can be minimised.

Minimises construction impacts and station closures
Minimises impacts from works such as shutdowns of the station and impacts on residents and traders.

Minimises impacts on vegetation and amenity
Minimises other impacts such as vegetation removal and overlooking from ramps or other structures into adjacent houses.

Achievable in project budget
Scope and design is cost-effective and achievable within the project budget.