Although the station is named Sandbach, it is located in the local residential suburb of Elworth on the A533 road, which links the town with Middlewich and Northwich.

Sandbach was a double junction on the LNWR and later London Midland and Scottish Railway line from Crewe to Manchester.

For many years, Sandbach was a junction for the single line branch to Middlewich and Northwich; it opened on 1 July 1868,[2] and closed for passenger service in January 1960, but it still carries freight on a daily basis.

Earlier, the North Staffordshire Railway branch from Kidsgrove to Sandbach, via Lawton Junction, ceased passenger service in July 1930 and closed to freight traffic in 1964.

A waiting room on platforms 2 and 3 is open at the times the station is staffed, whilst there are shelters on both sides.