User:Triptothecottage/sandbox/fss services

Suburban train services
For much of its history, Flinders Street operated as a suburban terminus primarily catering for peak passenger flows, in conjunction with the adjacent Jolimont Yard. Suburban lines were assigned to specific platforms at Flinders Street so that inbound morning peak services could stable at Jolimont in sidings between each set of running lines, and return to the same platforms to form afternoon outbound trains – minimising conflicting moves. Since the advent of the City Loop, Flinders Street and Parliament have been the busiest city stations for commuter traffic, so some services which operate through City Loop tunnels change direction in the middle of the day to minimise journey times. These services typically run inbound "via the City Loop" and "direct" outbound in the morning, while running inbound "direct to Flinders Street" in the afternoon and outbound via the City Loop.

Despite the removal of Jolimont Yard Flinders Street remains the official terminus of inbound suburban services. As a consequence, the destination of trains passing through it is sometimes altered from that displayed at preceding Loop stations.

Suburban trains typically operate at 20 minute frequencies, except during weekday peak hours where most lines operate at least 6 trains per hour (tph) and some see 10tph or more arriving at Flinders Street. Suburban services typically operate between 5am and midnight, but on Friday and Saturday nights an all-night service runs on all lines to an hourly frequency. These services do not run via the City Loop.

All suburban services at Flinders Street are operated by Metro Trains.

Mernda and Hurstbridge Line services operate clockwise through the City Loop after departing Flinders Street at all times.

Belgrave and Lilydale line trains operate anticlockwise through the City Loop before arriving at Flinders Street on weekday mornings, and clockwise after departing Flinders Street on weekday afternoons and weekends. On weekends, direct Belgrave trains only serve Flinders Street for part of the day. Glen Waverley line services run direct to Flinders Street at all times, returning direct on weekday mornings and clockwise via the City Loop at other times.

Sunbury, Craigieburn and Upfield line services operate clockwise through the City Loop on weekday mornings and weekends, and anticlockwise on weekday afternoons and evenings.

On weekdays, most services from Frankston travel direct to Flinders Street and continue towards Werribee or Williamstown. On weekends, Frankston services operate anticlockwise through the City Loop while Werribee services operate clockwise; Williamstown trains do not serve Flinders Street.

Sandringham services run direct to and from Flinders Street on weekdays, and on weekends travel anticlockwise through the City Loop.

Services to Flemington Racecourse and Showgrounds depart Flinders Street during special events only.

Other train services
V/Line Gippsland services stop at Flinders Street in both directions. From the 1880s, when they were transferred from Princes Bridge, all country trains from Gippsland terminated at Flinders Street's platform 1, where passengers and parcels could be effectively loaded and unloaded. During construction of the City Loop, the country terminus was moved to platforms 12 and 13, to minimise the number of tracks crossed by Gippsland trains during busy periods. In the 1980s, all Gippsland services were altered to run through to Spencer Street, where other country trains terminate.

20 trains depart Flinders Street each weekday for Traralgon, 3 of which continue to Bairnsdale; on weekends there are 12 services in total with 3 extended on Saturdays and 2 on Sundays. A single morning peak inbound Traralgon service terminates at Flinders Street before forming an outbound service; all other inbound trains stop at Flinders Street before continuing to Southern Cross. Passengers travelling within the suburban area may not board Gippsland trains in either direction.

A number of regular rail freight services also pass through the station, including daily trains to the BlueScope Steel plant at Long Island and the Australian Paper Manufacturers mill at Maryvale.

Transport connections
The station is also served by the following tram routes from adjacent stops.

Along Flinders Street:

Along Swanston Street/St Kilda Road: