It is a stop on the Robin Hood Line, located 17 miles (27 km) north of Nottingham; it is managed by East Midlands Railway.

It was bought by the Midland Railway, which used the final section to extend its new Leen Valley line to the present station in 1849.

The Derby Mercury of 24 October 1849 criticised the quality of construction noting that: engines have been off the line in the station yard at Mansfield several times since the opening on Tuesday week.

[5] The present station building was constructed by the Midland Railway in 1872;[1] to the designs of the architect John Holloway Sanders.

[8] The site of the old goods yard at Station Street, known as Portland Wharf, was converted into a large Co-Op foodstore in 1984.

[9][10] When planning to re-establish a passenger rail service to the area, consideration was given to creating a new station at Toothill Lane in the town centre.

Following passenger service closure in 1964, Mansfield remained isolated from the rail system until 1995, when the Robin Hood Line was reopened connecting to Nottingham.

During the weekday off-peak and on Saturdays, the station is generally served by an hourly service northbound to Worksop and southbound to Nottingham.

Mansfield was also once served by services to Rolleston via stations at Blidworth and Rainworth, Farnsfield, Kirklington and Edingley and Southwell.

Registered as a grade II listed building from 1978,[15] it was originally a mental asylum named Broom House,[16] built in the early 1800s, then purchased by the Midland Railway Company and converted into a hotel in 1862.