- Rail Trail
- On Road
- Potential Rail Trail
- Other Trail
- Former Railway
- Rail Trail
- On Road
- Potential RT
- Other Trail
- Former Railway

Part of the Capital City Trail. There are lots of cafes nearby as well as Yarra Bend Park.
All major road crossings have traffic signals.
Many connections with public transport.
Nearby Attractions
A high standard rail trail traversing Melbourne’s inner suburbs. Traverses parkland and quite a few railway heritage structures remain.
Very popular with local residents.
Last updated: 26 November 2022

The western end of the rail trail. (2011)

Jogging on the trail at Fitzroy (2007)

North Carlton station is now a Community House. (2006)

Typical scenery (2007)
Information and Links
Contact Rail Trails Australia
To contact us about this rail trail, email vic@railtrails.org.au
Background Information
Traditional Owners
We acknowledge the Woiworung people, the traditional custodians of the land and waterways on which the rail trail is built.
Railway history
The Inner Circle was opened in 1888 with three stations: North Carlton and North Fitzroy on the main line, and Fitzroy at the end of a short branch line leading south through the Edinburgh Gardens from a junction near North Fitzroy station. The Inner Circle Line was a steam era suburban railway line that was later electrified.
In 1948 the Inner Circle line was closed to passenger traffic, and was used exclusively for freight trains. The line was officially closed in 1981, and shortly after the rails were removed, and the rail reserve became a linear park which provides part of the Capital City Trail for cyclists, connecting the Merri Creek Trail to the Moonee Ponds Creek Trail in the network of shared use bicycle paths. Some signals and parts of level crossing gates also survive, with remaining overhead stanchions still carrying railway electric current between the Upfield and Mernda railway lines.
Nearby Trails

Sandridge Railway Trail
Melbourne City to Port Melbourne, 1km from Melbourne
15 km







Webb Dock Bridge
Docklands, 1km from Melbourne
0.5 km







Hawthorn to Kew Rail Trail
Eastern Melbourne suburbs, 9km from Flinders St Station, Melbourne
1 km







Outer Circle Rail Trail
Eastern Melbourne suburbs, 6km from Melbourne
17 km







Meadowlink Rail Trail
20km north of Melbourne
1.3 km



Rosstown Railway Heritage Trail
Southern Melbourne suburbs, 9km from Melbourne
7 km







Ringwood Belgrave Railway Trail
Eastern suburbs of Melbourne, 40km east of Melbourne
12.5 km







Lilydale to Warburton (Yarra Valley) Rail Trail
Yarra Valley, east of Melbourne
48 km






Eastern Dandenong Ranges Trail
Clematis to Gembrook
15 km




Bellarine Rail Trail
Bellarine Peninsula, 75km southwest of Melbourne
33 km






Red Hill Rail Trail
Mornington Peninsula, 90km south of Melbourne
7 km





4.7 km





Powelltown Tramway
East of Melbourne in the Upper Yarra region, 80km from Melbourne


Woodend to Daylesford (incl Domino) Rail Trail
85km north west of Melbourne
5 km





Noojee Trestle Bridge Rail Trail
100km east of Melbourne
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Rokeby to Crossover Rail Trail
North of Warragul, 103km from Melbourne
5 km





Great Victorian Rail Trail
90 km north of Melbourne
134 km







Bass Coast Rail Trail
130km south-east of Melbourne
23 km







O’Keefe Rail Trail
East of Bendigo, 150km from Melbourne
50 km




The Bunny Rail Trail
110km west of Melbourne
0.75 km




Castlemaine to Maldon Rail-side Trail
120km north west of Melbourne
18 km




Castlemaine to Maryborough Rail Trail
Central Victoria, 124 km from Melbourne

2 reviews of “Inner Circle Rail Trail”
17/27. As part of the Capital City loop, we smashed out another old favourite last week, the Inner Circle Rail trail. We did it from from Royal Park to Rushall train stations. It is a straight line, with the only real hill up from Royal Park for a short distance.
At one point on the trail, near Velo Cycles in Carlton North, there is an electronic counter that had registered over 500000 bikes since Jan 1 this year, so they are well on track to record over a million in the full year.
17 trails now completed, only 10 to go for my 2019 challenge is to ride every rail trail in Victoria this calendar year to promote organ donation. You can follow my rail trail exploits on FB Warwick Duncan – The 2nd Chance Man or Insta @warwick_rides.
I was on this trail this morning (Saturday 21st March 2015), from Rushall to Royal Park and back. This is a popular trail for cyclists and walkers – going through great inner suburbs of Melbourne. I’m glad they kept the old train easement a park, as it adds to the attractiveness of the surrounding area. The path is sealed the entire length and there is only one slight hill as you enter Royal Park. Being part of the Capital City Trail there are plenty of bike paths leading off to all parts of Melbourne. There are a lot of activities happening along and off the trail most weekends – as well as plenty of cafe/food options with the nearby streets. The only issue is to watch out for cars as you cross some of the streets, especially towards the Rushall end because there aren’t pedestrian crossing lights.