The station, situated 9 miles 8 chains (14.6 km) north-west of Darlington,[1] It is owned by Network Rail and managed by Northern Trains.

[3] The long-line Public Address system (PA) has been renewed and upgraded with pre-recorded train announcements.

The grade II listed[5] manual signal box here controls the immediate station area (including the siding connections into the museum), along with the single track section through Shildon tunnel to the west and terminus at Bishop Auckland.

Bishop Auckland is the junction with the now privately owned and operated Weardale Railway to Stanhope.

As of the May 2021 timetable change, the station is served by an hourly service between Saltburn and Bishop Auckland via Darlington.