Nearly opposite is the arrival station, which is built of stone, with projecting verandah over the platform and having convenient waiting, porters', and lamp rooms.

Palace Road was built along the back of the station in 1862 to make it possible for traffic from the east of the town to avoid the level crossing.

A large warehouse was added on the town side of the line in 1862 (where St Austell Bus Station now stands), financed by selling the land to a third party who then leased it back to the company.

For many years the original goods yard was used by Motorail trains which carried cars to Cornwall from London and many other places in England.

As well as the general traffic for a busy town, the station handled large volumes of china clay from the surrounding district, and of fish from Mevagissey.

[8] The main building is on the south side of the line, nearest the town centre and facing the bus station.

The original bridge survived for almost 150 years; it was extended when the extra line was laid in 1931 to the new goods yard, but both sections have now been replaced by Network Rail's prototype modular fibre reinforced polymer footbridge.

Some trains run through to or from London Paddington station via Exeter St Davids, including the Night Riviera overnight sleeping car service.

There are a limited number of CrossCountry trains providing a service to destinations such as Birmingham New Street, Wolverhampton, Manchester Piccadilly, Leeds, York, Edinburgh and Glasgow Central in the morning and returning in the evening.

A new goods yard was opened east of the station and the level crossing was closed on 2 November 1931 when a new 43-lever frame was provided in the signal box.