Circular Quay railway station is a heritage-listed The completion of Circular Quay station marked the completion of the City Circle railway as originally envisaged by John 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 the Cahill 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. A refurbishment in 2007 introduced sun-shading awnings on the platforms, removed advertising hoarding between the tracks, and improved facilities on the concourse level.

Design

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, the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House on one side, and Customs House and the Alfred 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.

Adjacent to the station to the north lies Circular Quay wharf that is served by Captain Cook Cruises, Manly Fast Ferry and Sydney 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.

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Sydney Light Rail 04.jpg|Connecting trams outside Circular Quay Station, May 2020

Circular Quay Railway Station From Loftus Street.JPG|Northern exterior view from Alfred Street, <br/>April 2015

Harbour Bridge from Circular Quay station day.jpg|Northbound view from Platform 1 viewing Sydney Harbour Bridge, August 2007

Circular Quay Railway Station, North Entrance.JPG|Entrance to ground level concourse, April 2015

Circular Quay railway station Platform 2017.jpg|Eastbound view from Platform 2, August 2017

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See also

  • List of Sydney railway stations
  • Railways in Sydney
  • Rail transport in New South Wales

References

  • Circular Quay at Transport for New South Wales <small>(Archived 10 June 2019)</small>
  • Circular Quay Public Transport Map Transport for NSW