It is served by the Union Pacific West Line, and lies 15.7 miles (25.3 km) from the eastern terminus.

As of 2018[update], Elmhurst is the fourth busiest of the 236 non-downtown stations in the Metra system, with an average of 2,540 weekday boardings.

Due to the relatively close proximity to the railroad yard, Metra trains occasionally must use the middle track to avoid the frequent freight traffic.

Because the middle track has no platform, the train's cab car receives and discharges passengers at the York Street railroad crossing when this does occur.

[citation needed] The second and current station is much smaller than its predecessor, with elements of mid-century modern in design.

The station saw minor improvements throughout the 1970s and 1980s, such as the addition of bike racks, newspaper boxes, and platform warning stripes.

[1] Upgrades included a new roof, extended platforms, a pedestrian underpass, heat lamps, and passenger information systems.