Coulsdon is on a stretch of line between Croydon and Redhill which the UK Parliament insisted should be shared by the London and Brighton Railway (L&BR) route to Brighton, and the South Eastern Railway (SER) route to Dover.

It is 17 miles 3 chains (27.4 km) from Charing Cross, and has two platforms each long enough for a 12-coach train.

A PERTIS self-service 'Permit to Travel' ticket machine was previously provided here but has been removed.

[5] Services at Coulsdon South are operated by Southern and Thameslink using Class 377 and 700 EMUs.

David Bowie's schizophrenic half-brother Terry, died by suicide on 16 January 1985 when he walked in front of a train at Coulsdon South railway station.