It is served by Metra's Union Pacific North Line trains, which go south to Ogilvie Transportation Center in Chicago and as far north as Kenosha, Wisconsin.

As of 2018, Evanston Main Street is the 41st busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 1,130 weekday boardings.

During the summer concert season, the extra weekend train to Ravinia Park also stops here.

The neighboring area contains multi-story apartment buildings and the Main Street Station Shopping District.

Main Street station also houses a cultural center known as Evanston Arts Depot, which houses the offices of the Custer's Last Stand festival and has performance space for Piccolo Theatre.