The station was opened as part of the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway (LT&SR)'s new line which left the Eastern Counties Railway's (ECR) main line at a new junction at Forest Gate.

Barking at this time was a small village and the original station was a two platformed affair which opened on 13 April 1854.

Congestion at Stratford and deteriorating relationships between the lessees running the LT&SR and the Eastern Counties Railway saw a new route built between Barking and Gas Factory Junction where the new route joined the London & Blackwall Extension Railway, opening in 1858.

This station lasted until the 1880s when increasing passenger and goods traffic as well as issues with the level crossings at Barking (which was expanding) meant something needed to be done.

The rebuilding was in advance of the arrival in Barking of services from the Tottenham and Forest Gate Railway (T&FGR) which opened in July 1894.

Although a joint venture between the LT&SR and Midland Railway the majority of the services were operated by the latter company.

[10] Around the turn of the century Barking Town Urban District Council were seriously concerned about the amount of time that East Street Gates were closed to road traffic.

In 1902, the LT&SR assisted when it made some minor changes to the signalling arrangements, and these were a prelude to further changes in the area.

The downturn in LT&SR performance (and the upturn in Southend commuter traffic) saw the line from Bromley to East Ham quadrupled and electrified with electric District Line services terminating at East Ham from 1905.

By this time, the LT&SR, which had previously been resistant to closing the level crossing on East Street finally saw the need for a bridge and this was a key part of the rebuild.

Full District Line electric services to Barking commenced on 1 April 1908 and platforms 2 and 3 were electrified in 1911.

The new section opened on 12 September 1932, and four years later the Metropolitan line started operating through Barking to Upminster as well.

[15] Nikolaus Pevsner stated it was "erected to coincide with electrification of the railway" and that "it is commensurately modern in outlook and unquestionably one of the best English stations of this date".

[20] As part of the 2011 renewal of the Essex Thameside franchise it was proposed that ownership of the station could transfer to Transport for London.

[21] Following the 2010 general election the funding for planned works was withdrawn and the 2011 franchise renewal delayed until 2013.

The new franchise invitation to tender proposes the transfer of building maintenance from Network Rail to the new operator, and includes an option to complete the redevelopment works.

The station is also served by National Rail (c2c) and London Overground (Suffragette line) services.