Although the station was accessible from residential areas in several directions, and not much more than 300 metres away from more densely populated High Street area, tram and bus services from the High Street to a range of destinations across the city centre abstracted traffic from the rail service.

[1] In the final two years of its existence services were provided mainly by trains to Corstorphine, Musselburgh and North Berwick.

A local campaigning group, the Capital Rail Action Group (CRAG), is running a campaign for Portobello Station to be re-opened to passenger services, as the station lies on the line served by Edinburgh Crossrail between Edinburgh Waverley and Brunstane.

[4] CRAG is also campaigning for the ESSJR south suburban railway which loops around Edinburgh's Southside back to Haymarket.

[5] Following a petition submitted to the Scottish Parliament in 2007, the proposal was rejected in 2009 by transport planners due to anticipated cost.