It is the terminus of the Cornish Main Line and the southernmost railway station in Great Britain, situated at milepost 326.5 miles (525.5 km) from London Paddington.

The station is owned by Network Rail and managed by Great Western Railway, which also operates train services together with CrossCountry.

The station itself consisted of a single platform face, and along with the rest of the West Cornwall Railway was laid as standard gauge.

[2] This changed in 1866 when the West Cornwall Railway was relaid to mixed gauge allowing South Devon Railway Leopard class locomotive Lance to bring in the first broad gauge train which carried dignitaries from Truro,[2] although the small station with the single platform remained with little other alteration.

[7] However, the new station suffered from teething problems because, by 1880, it was reported that some settlement in the masonry and shrinkage of the iron in the roof had caused several sheets of the glazing to break.

At the same time, work was undertaken to widen and extend both the two platforms, and a fourth road was laid in the station.

[Note 1] The new roof failed to vent diesel fumes from the trains to the necessary safety standard, meaning passengers had to alight outside the concourse.

It is situated 326 miles 50 chains (326.62 mi; 525.7 km) from London Paddington, measured via Box and Plymouth Millbay.

The Borough Council requested the Railway Company to replace the paving with granite setts before relaying the rails.