It was built as part of the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway main line that meandered across Norfolk to Great Yarmouth.

[2] Part of a platform from the station survives outside the car park of the Jewson builder's merchant, and the trackbed south of the platform is visible as a roadway.

The town was served by two stations on separate lines.

Fakenham East railway station was on the Great Eastern route between Wells-on-Sea and Wymondham.

[3] Currently there are no rail links to Fakenham; however, this may change in the future with the Norfolk Orbital Railway, which would use the proposed new-build station close to the site of Fakenham West.