This was the result of a roof fall during the construction of Haywards Heath Tunnel just south of the station on 2 January 1841, which killed three men.

The original station was designed by the architect David Mocatta and included a central passing line, and an awning over the platform.

[4] The station retained its importance as a junction following the construction of the line to Lewes from Keymer 3 miles (4.8 km) to the south.

This double-track branch line was closed to passengers on 28 October 1963, but a single-track section remains to serve a freight and aggregates terminal at Ardingly.

The earliest recorded example was in February 1858, when coaches for Hastings were slipped from a London Bridge to Brighton express.

Platforms 1 and 4 are signalled bidirectionally, which allows trains to reverse here or run "the wrong way" through the station at times of disruption.

[12][13] A short distance north of the station lies a single-track unelectrified freight-only line, which runs to an aggregates terminal at Ardingly; this branch can only be accessed via platform 1.

Services at Haywards Heath are operated by Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express using Class 377, 387 and 700 EMUs.

Today a sidings track does remain from Old Wickham Lane Bridge, 700 meters north of the station to Folly Hill Tunnel entrance.