Dandenong railway station

Dandenong railway station is the junction for the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines in Victoria, Australia. It serves the south-eastern Melbourne suburb of the same name, and opened on 8 October 1877.

A number of train stabling sidings are located near the station, including to the north of the station on either side of the railway line, as well as parallel to the platforms. A little-used goods yard was once located to the south of the station.

The disused General Motors station was situated between Dandenong and Hallam.

History
Dandenong opened as one of the original stations on the Melbourne to Sale railway line. In 1892, the South Gippsland line opened from Dandenong. Like the suburb itself, the station name derives either from an Indigenous word believed to mean "lofty mountains", or the Woiwurrung word "Tanjenong", which was the name of a local creek.

In 1922, the line from Oakleigh to Dandenong was electrified. In 1954, electrification was extended to Warragul, then onwards to Traralgon. Trains beyond Dandenong were generally hauled by L class electric locomotives, and were principally used for passenger services and briquette traffic, using coal from the large open cut coal mines in the Latrobe Valley. In 1956, the line was duplicated to Narre Warren.

In 1972, the down end of Platform 1 was extended. On 19 January 1975, electrified suburban services were extended to Pakenham. Occurring in that year, the station buildings were reconstructed.

During 1994-1995, the station was again rebuilt, as part of the Cranbourne electrification project. The rebuild included the demolition of the former Southern Aurora Hotel (completed in May 1993), the removal of the former timber station building (completed in April 1994), and filling-in the pedestrian underpass at the down end of the station. On 24 March 1995, the rebuilt station was opened by the then Prime Minister Paul Keating.

During the 2017/2018 financial year, Dandenong was the twelfth-busiest station on Melbourne's metropolitan network, with almost 2.2 million passenger movements.

Facilities, platforms and services
Dandenong has one side platform and one island platform with two faces. Access to the platforms is provided by stairs and lifts from an overhead concourse. The side platform (Platform 3) has a kiosk and an enclosed waiting room, containing a customer service window and toilets.

Dandenong is served by Cranbourne and Pakenham line trains, and by V/Line Traralgon and Bairnsdale trains.

Platform 1:
 * all stations and limited express services to Flinders Street
 * all stations and limited express services to Flinders Street

Platform 2:
 * all stations and limited express services to Flinders Street
 * all stations and limited express services to Flinders Street
 * V/Line services to Southern Cross (set-down only)

Platform 3:
 * all stations services to Cranbourne
 * all stations services to East Pakenham
 * V/Line services to Traralgon and Bairnsdale (pick-up only)

Up until mid-late 2019, the unique configuration of the tracks at both ends of the station allowed trains to depart from any platform, in any direction. Since then, Pakenham bound services can no longer depart from Platform 1.

Future services: In addition to the current services, the PTV Network Development Plan proposes linking the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines to both the Sunbury line and the proposed Melbourne Airport rail link via the Metro Tunnel.
 * express services to West Footscray and Sunbury (2025 onwards)
 * express services to Melbourne Airport (2029 onwards)

Transport links
Cranbourne Transit operates three bus routes to and from Dandenong station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:
 * : to Lynbrook station
 * : to Casey Central
 * : to Cranbourne Park Shopping Centre

Kinetic Melbourne operates one SmartBus route via Dandenong station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:
 * SmartBus : Frankston station – Melbourne Airport

Ventura Bus Lines operates twenty routes via Dandenong station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:
 * : to Chadstone Shopping Centre
 * : to Chadstone Shopping Centre
 * : to Chadstone Shopping Centre
 * : to Brighton
 * : to Brighton
 * : to Waverley Gardens Shopping Centre
 * : to Springvale South
 * Hampton station – Berwick station
 * : to Endeavour Hills
 * : to Doveton
 * : to Endeavour Hills
 * : to Brandon Park Shopping Centre
 * : to Glen Waverley station
 * : to Chelsea station
 * : to Endeavour Hills
 * : to Chadstone Shopping Centre
 * Night Bus : to Clayton station (Saturday and Sunday mornings only)
 * Night Bus : to Clayton station (Saturday and Sunday mornings only)
 * Night Bus : to Cranbourne (Saturday and Sunday mornings only)
 * Night Bus : to Cranbourne (Saturday and Sunday mornings only)

V/Line operates two coach services to and from Dandenong station:
 * Cowes
 * Inverloch