The station is on Mackay Street, at the eastern end of the Greymouth town centre.

[1][2] As the railway system of the West Coast grew, the station in Greymouth became the centre of the region's railway network, and was of particular importance to goods traffic from the region's primary industries as it served the main port in the area.

[4] During the later part of the 20th century, traffic declined significantly, as both passengers and freight shifted to road transport.

This is due to its architectural quality as a relatively unaltered example of a second-class New Zealand railway station, and its historical significance as a former centre of the regional rail network.

[3] The station is currently served by the TranzAlpine, which runs daily between Greymouth and Christchurch, and is operated by The Great Journeys of New Zealand, KiwiRail's scenic division.