After almost three years of being shut off to the public, the Degraves Street subway has (partially) reopened. It seems hard to believe that this well-worn underpass was only shut for three years, but that's probably because a series of pesky pandemic lockdowns have completely distorted how we perceive time during the past five years. (Or maybe that's just us?)
The historic underpass reopened on Wednesday, January 29, after being closed for refurbishments, mainly to improve accessibility. The new features include six new lifts to access each platform, a full ceiling replacement, upgrades to lighting, ventilation, fire, and security systems, and restoration of original tilework and key heritage features. (But if you walk through it, we reckon it honestly looks basically the same as when it closed in 2022.)
Commuters will now able to use the underground passage to interchange between platforms at Flinders Street Station, but the subway's exits at Flinders Street and Degraves Street are still closed. This is because Campbell Arcade – the part of the subway that runs beneath Flinders Street itself and once hosted a variety of shops – is still closed for restoration works. We're hoping some of the old faves of the underground strip, like Wax Museum Records and Glitzy Glam vintage, will return when it reopens.
When it opens, Campbell Arcade will link to the new Town Hall Metro Tunnel train station, so travellers won’t have to touch off when changing trains between stations. In the meantime, the subway can essentially only be used to change between platforms, or you could take a shortcut to exit the station at Platform 1 or Platform 10.
It's a small step towards the Metro Tunnel being ready for passengers, with the new rail network set to be up and running later this year.
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