It is 4 miles 61 chains (7.7 km) from St Pancras (measured via Kentish Town and Mortimer Street Junction)[4] and is situated between Crouch Hill and South Tottenham.

The typical off-peak service is four trains per hour in each direction between Gospel Oak and Barking Riverside.

It was opened on 1 June 1880 with the name Green Lanes, but has since been renamed a number of times: There were originally wooden platform buildings, which were replaced by brick and concrete structures in the 1950s.

To cope with the huge number of passengers visiting Harringay Stadium and Arena, both right next to the station, very long platforms were provided, but these were shortened in late 2003 due to subsidence.

Just west of the station was a goods yard; this closed on 3 February 1964, and the site is now occupied by Railway Fields nature reserve.