The station is a major interchange point on the Brighton Main Line, 22 miles 40 chains (36.2 km) measured from London Charing Cross.

The local topography determined that it was cheaper to build and operate a railway line between London and Brighton which by-passed the parliamentary borough and long-established market town of Reigate and instead passed through the nearby Redstone or Red Hill gap in the Reigate Foreign (countryside) parish.

The nearby market town was served by a horse-drawn omnibus service operated by the railway.

This station was designed by the architect David Mocatta, and was one of a series of standardised modular buildings used by the railway.

[5] It closed on 15 April 1844, when the L&BR began to share the SER Redhill and Reigate station and was demolished soon afterwards.

On 26 May 1842 the SER opened what was originally called 'Redhill', but later misleadingly renamed 'Reigate' station, on their own stretch of line just beyond the junction.

[7] Nevertheless, the London Brighton and South Coast Railway (the successor of the L&BR) continued to operate the omnibus service for its own passengers.

[9] A ten-year agreement between the SER and the London Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR the successor to the L&BR after July 1846) over the use of the station and lines to Coulsdon was signed 1 February 1869 and renewed ten years later.

These were continued until both the SER and the LB&SCR came under the ownership of the Southern Railway 1 January 1923 and the name of the joint station was changed to Redhill in July 1929.

The main entrance faces the town centre, and is opposite Redhill bus station.

[16][17] An engine shed, turntable and locomotive coaling and servicing facilities were installed by the South Eastern Railway in 1855 in the area between the Brighton and Tonbridge lines.