It is located on the Far North Line, 31 miles 37 chains (50.6 km) from Inverness, between Alness and Fearn.

4 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit departed Cromarty Firth, RAF Alness on an anti-submarine patrol of the North Sea off the coast of Scotland.

[6] The crew are buried in the Stonefall Air Force Cemetery in Harrogate, North Yorkshire.

The station consists of two side platforms, which can each accommodate an eight-coach train, flanking a passing loop 34 chains (680 m) long on the predominantly single-track line from Dingwall to Thurso and Wick.

The station has seen a number of timetable improvements since 2008, with the addition of an extra through train each way to/from Wick on weekdays and further shorter distance services to/from Inverness aimed at the commuter market (these mainly run as far as Tain or Ardgay).