It is 51 miles 19 chains (82.5 km) down the line from London Victoria.

For a period up to 1973 hourly direct services to London Victoria left from platform 2.

By 1978 direct services ran only in peak hours, the fastest taking 98 mins to reach Victoria,[1] slower than the fastest ones taking 81 mins, and off-peak half-hourly 94 mins to London St Pancras International 35 years later, which require a change.

In 2019, in order to comply with accessibility requirements, the trains were replaced with Class 375 Electrostars, most commonly the 3-car variants.

Other alternative routes from London to Dartford via Sidcup and via Bexleyheath.