The station was first built by the City of Glasgow Union Railway, whose branch line from Bellgrove opened to goods traffic in 1875.

[3] Initially built as a terminus, two through platforms were added shortly afterwards by the company when they gained running powers over the Sighthill Branch of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway, which ran alongside the CGUR at this location.

The CGUR was absorbed jointly by the North British and Glasgow and South Western Railway in 1896, with the former company taking over the Bellgrove to Springburn branch.

[3] The line from Bellgrove was electrified in November 1960 as part of the North Clyde scheme, but regular services northward to Cowlairs ended in 1963, when the workers' trains to Singer were withdrawn.

Cumbernauld Line trains are now able to run directly to Queen Street High Level via the Cowlairs Chord – a single-track south-to-east curve that was opened in 1993 by British Rail.

On the North Clyde Line Mondays to Saturdays there is a half-hourly service to Glasgow Queen Street (Low Level) and beyond to Dalmuir and Balloch.

Between March and August 2016, the service was modified further due to engineering work temporarily closing Queen Street High Level.