Clifton Hill railway station opened on 8 May 1888. The station was damaged by fire in December 1981, although the heritage registered verandah escaped serious damage. The station was renovated in 1990, with a matching verandah built on the western platform. Boom barriers replaced interlocked gates at the Ramsden Street level crossing in 1992. Signal boxes "A" and "B" were also abolished in May 1992, with semaphore signals replaced by coloured light signals. It was upgraded to a Premium station on 25 June 1996. It is listed on the Register of the National Estate. It is an intact example of a Victorian Tudor style suburban railway station, and is one of eleven that were originally built in 1887–89. It is the only example that still retains the original corrugated iron wings on either side of the main building. The timber verandah on the eastern platform is also considered architecturally rare. Other features of the complex include two timber-framed gabled roofed signal boxes, located on either side of Platform 2, and the original swinging railway gates. One signal box was for the operation of the former level crossing gates across Heidelberg Road, which was replaced by an overpass in 1957. The other signal box serviced the level crossing at Ramsden Street. Clifton Hill was once part of the Inner Circle line. The Hurstbridge line, between Clifton Hill and Westgarth, was duplicated in 2008/09, and included a bridge over Merri Creek. It was opened by then Premier, John Brumby, and then Transport Minister, Lynne Kosky, on 27 January 2009.
Platforms & services
Clifton Hill has two side platforms, connected by an underpass. Platform 1 contains an enclosed waiting area, while Platform 2 contains a semi-enclosed waiting area and toilets. It is serviced by Metro Trains' Mernda and Hurstbridge line services. Platform 1:
Mernda line: all stations and limited stops services to Flinders Street
Hurstbridge line: all stations and limited stops services to Flinders Street
Platform 2:
Mernda line: all stations and limited stops services to Mernda
Hurstbridge line: all stations and limited stops services to Hurstbridge
