The station is managed and served by ScotRail and is on the Aberdeen–Inverness line, between Nairn and Elgin, measured 119 miles 42 chains (192.4 km) from Perth via the Dava route.

Aberdeen was the terminus for two railway companies, and therefore had two separate stations: one served the east and the other was the starting point for services to the south (via the coast).

Engineer Joseph Mitchell planned an alternative route via Dava, and work was completed on the line by August 1863.

Keith was also an important railway junction and the point where the line joined the GNSR and branches to the coast and Strathspey.

The station building was located between the current track and signal box, and the former goods loop (which was the original main line, before the junction was constructed).

The opening of the junction required a new 'triangular' station to be constructed to allow all trains entering Forres, from either the East or West, to access the new line directly on a curve.

Services from Inverness to Perth curved to the south on a junction at the west of the station, to arrive at the southbound platforms.

The current building is located directly in front of the site of the 1863 station.In March 2014, after lengthy discussions in Scottish Parliament to replace the old station at Forres with a brand new reconfigured station equipped with double platforms,[5] Transport Scotland confirmed a £170 million infrastructure improvement project for the Aberdeen–Inverness line, to be completed by 2030.

[6] Included in this project were plans to re-site the station at Forres with an extended passing loop, along with signalling improvements.

[7] Plans for the new Forres station were revealed at a public meeting in March 2016[8] and initial construction work and track laying commenced in the summer of 2016.

Both Transport Scotland and ScotRail have plans to improve service levels between Inverness and Elgin (to a base hourly frequency) from late 2018.

The Dava route closed to passenger traffic on 18 October 1965 (as a result of the Beeching Axe) and goods services ended completely by 1968.

[11] A short section of the southbound platforms remains, whilst the trackbed is partially in use as a station car park.

A single Highland Railway fencing post can be found at Robertson/Iowa Place, at the junction with Miekle Cruik.

A shelter is located on platform 2, whilst both have customer help points, CIS displays, timetable boards and automated announcements to offer train running details.