It primarily serves Borehamwood as well as the nearby village of Elstree, 1.3 miles (2.1 km) to the south-west.

[4] The station is situated on the Midland Main Line, 12 miles 35 chains (20.0 km) down the line from London St Pancras and is situated between Mill Hill Broadway to the south and Radlett to the north.

In 1862: On 22 June 1863, the Midland Railway (Extension to London) Bill was passed: Situated north of the Elstree Tunnels, it was built by the Midland Railway as simply "Elstree" in 1868 when it built its extension to St Pancras station.

[citation needed] A new footbridge and step-free lifts, installed under Network Rail's Access for All programme, opened on 1 October 2014 in order to make Elstree & Borehamwood entirely step-free.

[10] All services at Elstree & Borehamwood are operated by Thameslink using Class 700 EMUs.