It is 45 miles 56 chains (73.5 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Audley End and Whittlesford Parkway stations.

The station was once the point where the Newmarket Railway left the London to Cambridge main line.

The Newmarket branch was an early victim of poor finance leading to closure: it was temporarily closed on 30 June 1850 and reopened on 9 September 1850, but the section between Great Chesterford and Six Mile Bottom was closed permanently on 9 October 1851 with the opening of the direct line between Six Mile Bottom and Cambridge.

[3] All services at Great Chesterford are operated by Greater Anglia using Class 720 EMUs.

The station is also served by a small number of peak hour services to and from Ely.