It is 42 miles 59 chains (68.8 km) down the line from London Victoria via Herne Hill.

[4] Inside the station building are staffed and self-service ticket sales and a café.

A new footbridge was built on the opposite side of the station from the original in 2011.

Bearsted station opened on 1 July 1884 as part of the London, Chatham and Dover Railway's extension of the line from Maidstone to Ashford West.

The typical off-peak service in trains per hour is:[9] Additional services, including trains to and from London Charing Cross call at the station during the peak hours.