It is a minor station on the Trent Valley section of the West Coast Main Line.

From the mid-1960s until 1998, it was served only by local stopping trains between Stafford and either Rugby or (from 1987) Coventry[1][2] – these were withdrawn in 2004 when work began to upgrade the main line to four tracks, with bus replacements operating until London Midland introduced the present semi-fast service between London Euston and Crewe via Stafford in 2008.

Rugeley Trent Valley is managed by West Midlands Trains who operate all services calling at the station.

[4] In the May 2023 timetable, Rugeley Trent Valley is served by half-hourly services on the Chase Line calling at all local stations to Walsall followed by Tame Bridge Parkway and Birmingham New Street before calling at all local stations on its way to terminate at Birmingham International.

[9] Most services on this route run fast between Rugby and Milton Keynes Central with occasional stops at Northampton in the peak.

Intercity Avanti West Coast services between London Euston and North West England do not call at Rugeley Trent Valley, due to the low passenger numbers compared to other Trent Valley stations as well as short platforms which do not accommodate the tilting Class 390 Pendolino or Class 805/807 Evero trains Avanti West Coast operate.