It is 17 miles 54 chains (28.4 km) measured from London King's Cross on the East Coast Main Line.

The Hatfield and St Albans Railway closed to passenger traffic in 1951 as part of postwar economies brought in by the British Transport Commission.

There is a small café-shop style business, "Chuggs" on Platform 1, and three new retail units which opened in the new station building.

Off-peak, all services at Hatfield are operated by Great Northern using Class 387 and 717 EMUs.

Hatfield Station was redeveloped in 2013—15 to include a new bus interchange and taxi rank, multi-storey car park, refurbished ticket office, three new retail units and step-free access to all platforms.