It is 70 miles 56 chains (113.8 km) down the line from London Victoria and is situated between Herne Bay and Westgate-on-Sea.

The station is located at one end of the high street and a short distance from the village square.

The 2007 Budget plan of Network Rail allows for the removal of the remaining manual turnround and it is believed short residual siding occasionally used for storing tamping track maintenance units, 'tampers'.

A junction existed to the west of the station to serve RAF Manston[4] until the 1930s operated from a Ground Frame Birchington B located some 440 yards (400 m) upside of the station - a plan of which can be seen in the RAF Manston Museum.

The typical off-peak service in trains per hour is:[5] Additional services including trains to and from London Bridge and London Cannon Street call at the station in the peak hours.