The station building was constructed by the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1892; it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.

[5] Passenger rail service to Chico ceased in 1957, but was reactivated when Amtrak rerouted the Coast Starlight to its current alignment in 1982.

[6] The city and the Chamber of Commerce saved the current structure from demolition through an agreement with the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1987.

[8][9] A different North State Intercity Bus route received TIRCP funding in 2018 and is proposed to provide weekday feeder service to Sacramento from the Chico station.

[12] Additional bus connections are available approximately one half-mile away at the Chico Transit Center at 2nd and Salem.