170 Russell guide: parking, floor plan, ID and trams

170 Russell is the basement club and band room at 170 Russell Street, on the corner of Little Bourke Street in Melbourne's Chinatown. It's been a live venue of one kind or another since 1965, and these days it's a standing-room gig space with three bars and tiered viewing areas, so everyone gets a decent look at the stage.

What catches people out here isn't the bags or the seats. It's the shoes (no open toes), the fact that there's no seating unless you ask for it, and the trip home: the train station the venue points you to shuts just after midnight on weekends. The car park is easy, at least. It's right next door.

We checked the venue's FAQ, venue page and 2024 floor plan, two Moshtix event pages, Wilson Parking's car park page and Transport Victoria's maps and late-night pages on 2 October 2026. Rules can change from show to show, so read your event page too. For everything else on in town, see concerts in Melbourne.

Quick facts

How do I get to 170 Russell?

Public transport is the easy way in. The venue's right in the middle of the CBD, and the closest trams are free.

Tram

The venue's FAQ says: "The closest tram stop is Russell Street – Stop 7, which is on Route 86 & 96." That stop is on Bourke Street, so you walk a block north up Russell Street to the corner of Little Bourke.

The other option is "Bourke Street Mall/ Swanston Street – Stop 10", which the venue says is served by routes 1, 3/3A, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67 and 72. From there it's a short walk east along Little Bourke Street. The venue adds that "All stops are level access stops," which is handy if you're using a wheelchair or pushing a pram.

Free Tram Zone

Both stops are inside Melbourne's Free Tram Zone. Transport Victoria's map puts the whole CBD grid inside the zone, including the stretch of Bourke Street served by routes 86 and 96. Its rule is simple: "You don't need a ticket if you're travelling in the Free Tram Zone on a tram. Remember to tap on if you're travelling beyond the Free Tram Zone."

So if you're coming from Southern Cross, Flinders Street or Docklands by tram, it's free. If you're coming in from Brunswick, Bundoora, St Kilda or anywhere else outside the zone, tap on your myki as usual.

Train

The venue says "Parliament is the closest train station." It's on Spring Street at the top end of Bourke Street. Transport Victoria's Free Tram Zone map also shows Melbourne Central station a few blocks away, at Swanston and La Trobe streets. Either works for getting there. The trip home is a different story (see below).

Getting home after the show

If your gig finishes early, regular trains and trams will get you home. Check your last service in the Transport Victoria Journey Planner before you head out. We couldn't confirm weeknight last services, so don't assume.

On weekends, Transport Victoria runs a Night Network of trains, trams and buses. Its late-night page was blocking our requests on 2 October 2026, so the points below come from the copy archived on 31 August 2026:

• Parliament and Melbourne Central close just after midnight. Both are on Transport Victoria's list of inner-city stations that shut around then, along with Anzac, Arden, Flagstaff, Parkville and State Library. If you leave 170 Russell after midnight and walk to Parliament, the gates may be shut.
• After 1am, all trains run direct to and from Flinders Street and Town Hall. From the venue, either is a walk down Russell or Swanston Street, or a free tram ride.
• Night trains run about every 60 minutes on all lines except Stony Point and Flemington Racecourse.
• Southern Cross closes just after 1am.
• Routes 86 and 96 run as late-night trams every 30 minutes, and they're the two routes that stop at Russell Street, Stop 7. That's the closest stop to the venue. Yarra Trams also lists both as night routes.
• Use your myki as normal. You won't be charged a return fare if you tap on before 3am, and a new day of fares starts at 3am. You can't top up or buy a myki on a tram or bus, so sort it out before you go.

Rideshare and pick-up

The venue doesn't publish a drop-off zone, taxi rank or rideshare point. Russell Street and Little Bourke Street are busy, so agree on a pick-up spot with your driver or whoever's collecting you before the show.

Is there parking at 170 Russell?

Yes, right next door. The venue's FAQ says: "There is limited street parking and Wilson's parking next door at 180 Russell Street." It links to Wilson Parking for booking.

Wilson's page for the 180 Russell St Car Park says, as of 2 October 2026:

• Entry is from 180 Russell Street, and there's a height limit of 2.00m.
• It's listed as "Open all day" every day of the week.
• It sells weekend day, weekend night and evening parking options, plus hourly parking. The conditions matter for a gig: the evening option it lists needs you to enter after 4pm and leave before 5am the next day, or hourly rates apply from when you arrived. Check the current options and prices on Wilson's page before you book.
• Booking ahead doesn't reserve you a bay. Wilson says prepaying online doesn't hold a space for you, and if the car park is full when you arrive, you should use the intercom to contact its team.

The venue only names Wilson's 180 Russell Street car park. Street parking in the CBD is limited and signed, so read the signs carefully if you try it.

The floor plan: is there seating at 170 Russell?

Mostly no. The FAQ calls 170 Russell "a standing-room-only venue", and that's what the room's built for. The venue publishes a 2024 floor plan as a PDF on its The Venue page, and it's worth a look before you go.

Here's how the room works, going by the venue's description and floor plan:

• The dancefloor sits right in front of the stage. That's the general admission area for most gigs.
• Tiered viewing areas rise behind it. The venue says the building was "originally built as a theatre" and "has tiered viewing areas with uninterrupted sight lines to the stage." The front-of-house desk sits in the middle of the room.
• The main bar sits at the back of the room, facing the stage.
• Six booths line the sides. The venue says they "can be used as VIP areas".
• The Bunker is a side room with its own bar, which the floor plan shows with a "Bunker service" side and a "main service" side.
• The Opera Box is a private room on the mezzanine, sold as group packages through the venue's Opera Box page. The venue says "Event tickets are not included and must be purchased separately," and Moshtix event pages say Opera Box packages don't include entry, so everyone needs a general admission ticket too.

The floor plan also marks a cloakroom, a merch stand, male and female toilets near the Russell Street entrance, all-gender toilets beside the Bunker and a smokers' area at the back near Coverlid Place.

Need a seat? "If you are unable to stand for extended periods of time a chair can be arranged for you." Email rylee.p@170russell.com before show day to arrange it.

Some shows set the room up differently. One Moshtix listing we read, for a touring bingo party night, said each table seats 8 to 10, first come first served, though it added that seating varies from venue to venue. Check your event page if you're expecting a seated show.

Bag policy: what can you bring?

The venue's FAQ doesn't publish a bag policy or a list of prohibited items, and neither of the two Moshtix event pages we read gave one. We couldn't confirm rules on bag size, backpacks, water bottles or cameras.

What the venue does say:

• Footwear: "For the safety of all patrons and staff, guests wearing open-toed or steel-toed footwear will not be permitted entry to the venue." That rules out thongs, sandals and work boots.
• Cloakroom: there's one on the floor plan, but the venue doesn't list its hours or a fee.

If you need to bring anything bigger than a small bag, ask the venue first at info@170russell.com or on (03) 9639 4000.

Entry, pass-outs and tickets

Tickets: the FAQ says tickets are available on the venue's website. The site sends you to Moshtix, and its contact page sends ticket enquiries to Moshtix support. Whichever way you buy, use the link on the venue's own site or the promoter's.

Entry on the night: "Tickets are delivered as e-tickets to your email to be scanned at the door, however, you can also simply provide photo id at the door if you can not locate your ticket." It's useful to know if your phone dies in the queue, but bring the ticket anyway.

Pass-outs: yes. The venue says: "You are free to come and go as you please from 170 Russell once your ticket has been processed and you have a stamp." If you need a quiet place for a break during the show, ask door or security staff.

Doors and set times: these are set show by show. As an example, one Moshtix listing we checked gave doors at 7pm, the first support at 7.30pm, the second at 8.15pm and the headliner at 9pm. Yours may be different, so check your event page.

Age rules and ID: can under-18s go?

Check each event, because the venue's FAQ doesn't set a general age rule. Both event pages we read on Moshtix said "You need to be 18+ to attend this event", and one also said "Age Limit: 18+ (ID required)". Assume a show is 18+ unless its listing says otherwise.

For ID, bring a current one with your date of birth and photo. Liquor Control Victoria lists these as acceptable evidence of age at licensed venues:

• an Australian driver licence, physical or digital
• a Victorian learner permit, physical or digital
• a Victorian proof of age card, or the equivalent from another state or territory, physical or digital
• an Australian or foreign passport
• a foreign driver licence, with an English translation (for example by a NAATI-accredited translator) or an International Driving Permit if it isn't in English
• a Victorian marine licence

Venues can be stricter than the law requires, so if you're relying on anything other than a licence or passport, check with the venue first.

Accessibility

The venue's FAQ covers these points, as of 2 October 2026:

• Wheelchair access: "Access for wheelchair users is via the glass doors at 180 Russell Street." See security staff at the front entrance. The venue asks you to "contact the venue prior to purchasing tickets to ensure suitable access is available."
• Sightlines: the venue warns that "because 170 Russell is a standing-room-only venue, restricted viewing may occur."
• Chairs: if you can't stand for long, a chair can be arranged. Email rylee.p@170russell.com before show day.
• Companion Card: accepted. Email rylee.p@170russell.com, and note "you will need to provide a companion card number at the time of booking."
• Strobe lighting: the venue tries to put up signage for shows with strobes, "however, this may not always be possible." Ask the venue if strobe or flashing lights are a concern.
• Low lighting: the band room is dark during shows. If you have low vision and need help, let the venue know.
• Trams: the venue says the nearby tram stops are level access.

The FAQ doesn't mention accessible toilets, a hearing loop or lifts. The floor plan shows all-gender toilets but doesn't mark an accessible one. If you need any of these, ask before you book.

Food and drink

The venue has three bars, according to its venue page, and the floor plan shows the main bar at the back of the room plus a bar in the Bunker. The venue's pages don't list a food menu or say whether the bars take cash, so check with the venue if that matters. You're in Chinatown, so there's no shortage of places to eat before the show.

A bit of history

170 Russell is in the basement of Total House, a brutalist building at 170-190 Russell Street with shops at street level, a seven-level car park and four storeys of offices on top. Wikipedia says it was designed by Bogle & Banfield Associates and built in 1964-65, and was named after its first anchor tenant, Total Oil. It went onto the Victorian Heritage Register on 29 May 2014, and a developer's plan to replace it with a 70-storey hotel tower was withdrawn after the listing.

The venue says it opened "as the Lido Theatre in 1965" and has hosted live entertainment "for more than 50 years". Wikipedia's history of the basement runs like this:

• From 1965, the Lido Cabaret, a dinner and "Paris-type" show venue.
• A spell as a Spanish-themed nightclub.
• From the mid-1970s, the 600-seat Total Theatre, which staged the Australian premiere of Guys & Dolls.
• From 1980, a nightclub and live music venue known as Billboard.
• In 2014, a rebrand to 170 Russell, the building's street address.

Wikipedia calls the original venue the Lido Cabaret, while the venue's own page calls it the Lido Theatre.

Before you go

• Check your event page for the age rule and door times. Most shows we checked were 18+.
• Bring photo ID, such as a licence, proof of age card or passport.
• Wear closed shoes. No open toes, no steel caps.
• Have your e-ticket ready. If you can't find it, the venue says photo ID at the door will do.
• Need a chair, wheelchair access or a Companion Card ticket? Email rylee.p@170russell.com before show day.
• Driving? Wilson Parking at 180 Russell Street has a 2.00m height limit, and booking doesn't reserve a bay.
• Plan the trip home. After midnight on weekends, use Flinders Street, Town Hall or the 86 and 96 trams, not Parliament.

Upcoming shows at 170 Russell