Papatoetoe was originally called Papatoitoi, a corruption of its true name.

The name was corrected in 1907, by the New Zealand Railways Department, because of the obvious discrepancy with the town it served, which has always been spelt as "Papatoetoe".

[4] In 2005, the 1920 railway pedestrian bridge was moved from the site, becoming the Aerovista Footbridge along the Puhinui Creek in Wiri.

The old station is an integral part of the area's history, with Old Papatoetoe developing as a commercial centre.

The typical weekday off-peak timetable is:[5][6] Bus routes 31, 36 and 313 serve Papatoetoe station.