Olympic Park StationThe Olympic Park railway station in Sydney serves the stadiums and sportsgrounds in the suburb of Homebush Bay. These sports facilities were built for the 2000 Summer Olympics, but are retained for post-games uses. The station is located on a balloon loop, with 2 tracks and 4 platform faces. The centre island platform 2/3 is used by arriving east and west trains to disembark passengers. The two separate outermost side platforms 1 & 4 are used by departing east and west trains to pick up passengers. The stadiums are about 3 km (1.9 miles) from any existing rail line, which necessitated the rail branchline.
DesignThe design of the station has been critically acclaimed by many. It has won the 1998 BHP Colorbond Award for innovative use of steel architecture, and the 1998 Sir John Sulman Medal, from the Royal Australian Institute of Architects.
ServicesDuring major events, trains operate from Central station in the east, and Blacktown station in the west. Depending on dates and times, these Olympic Park trains can have exclusive use of 2 of the 4 or 6 tracks between Central and Blacktown. Up to 20 trains per hour may be run, 10 from the east and 10 from the west, using 8-car double deck trains. Passengers from other railway stations change to the Olympic trains at a convenient station. For people who live in Sydney who are not near any of these train stations, special buses are provided. During quiet times, a shuttle service operates at 20 minute intervals from Lidcombe railway station, where there is a "Sprint" platform, found by walking the length of platform one.These sprint trains are between 2 and 8 cars long.
PlatformsThe station's platforms are configured for different functions; for normal usage, and for special event usage.
Normal usage
Platform 1
Not in use
Platform 2
Olympic Park Line - weekday off-peak limited stops services to Central.
Platform 3
Olympic Park Line - Olympic Park Sprint shuttle services to Lidcombe..
Platform 4
Not in use
Special Event Use
Platform 1
Used to pick up passengers heading to Strathfield, Redfern and Central
Platform 2
Olympic Park Line - Used for setting down passengers arriving at Olympic Park from Central, Redfern and Strathfield
Platform 3
Olympic Park Line - Used for setting down passengers arriving from Blacktown, Seven Hills, Westmead, Parramatta, Granville and Lidcombe.
Platform 4
Used to pick up passengers heading to Lidcombe, Granville, Parramatta, Westmead, Seven Hills, Blacktown and Penrith
Main entrance
Transport LinksSydney Buses runs three routes via Olympic Park station:
Route 401 - Between Lidcombe station and Sydney Olympic Park Wharf.
Route 525 - Between Westfield Burwood and Parramatta station.
Route 533 - Weekdays (Monday to Friday) Peak Hour Services - to Chatswood station.
Punchbowl Bus Company runs one route to and from Olympic Park station:
Route 450 - to Hurstville station.