Geographically the division covers the railway tracks and services in the areas between the Hooghly river on the west, Bangladesh on the north and east and the Sundarbans in the south.

[7][8] Being located in the central business district of Kolkata, the Sealdah station plays a vital role in the management of suburban railway traffic.

[7] Kolkata, Barrackpore, Diamond Harbour, Dakshineswar, Krishnanagar, Nabadwip Ghat, Murshidabad, Plassey, Shantipur, Sagar Island and the Sundarbans are some of the major tourist and pilgrimage spots served by the division.

[7] The major commodities received by this division are cement, fertilizers, food grains, containers, POL and coal for thermal power plants.

[10] The Eastern Bengal Railway (reporting mark :EBR) company was formed in 1857 for the construction and working of a line from Calcutta to Dacca, with a branch to Jessore.

[11] The construction of the 112 mi (180 km) long broad gauge line began in 1859 and was completed in stages up to Kushtia by 1864 but the planned branch to Jessore was not built.

[13] In 1871 the line was extended from Poradaha to a new ferry terminal at Goalundo Ghat, about 45 mi (72 km) east of Kushtia and reducing the river trip to Dacca.

[12][14] The Bengal Central Railway (reporting mark :BCR) company constructed two broad gauge lines: one connecting Ranaghat and Bangaon (21 mi (34 km)) in 1882 and the other connecting Dum Dum with Khulna (now in Bangladesh), via Bangaon (108 mi (174 km)) which opened in stages and was completed in 1884.

[12][14] The Martin's Light Railways (reporting mark :MLR) company constructed and opened the 20 mi (32 km) long, 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge Ranaghat–Krishnanagar Light Railway line from Aistalaghat (near Ranaghat on the right bank of Churni river) to Krishnanagar via Shantipur in 1899.

[4] EBR further built a 1 mi (1.6 km) long 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge extension from Ranaghat to the left bank of Churni River on 1902.

[14][15] The 94.28 mi (151.73 km) long Murshidabad Branch railway was constructed by EBR from Ranaghat to Lalgola Ghat in stages from 1905 to 1907.

[12][14] MLR also constructed and opened a 26 mi (42 km) long 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge line from Barasat to Basirhat in 1905, known as the Barasat–Basirhat Light Railway (reporting mark :BBLR).

[16][17] In 1868, CSER having suffered extensive losses due to floods and other problems, sold the line to the Indian government (management then being leased to the Eastern Bengal Railway) and the company was dissolved in March 1870.

[12][14][19] The Calcutta Ports Commissioner's Railway (reporting mark :CPCR) built a branch line from Kidderpore Docks to Majerhat on 1893.