The station was opened on 22 August 1848 by the Windsor, Staines and South Western Railway, as part of its line from Richmond to Datchet.

From Wokingham, LSWR trains continued to Reading Southern using running powers over the South Eastern Railway (SER).

[n 2] The station is managed by South Western Railway on a contract awarded by recurring private franchise, who continue passenger services to/from London Waterloo as since the middle of the 20th century to Reading, Windsor & Eton Riverside and Weybridge.

Despite this, an electric train bound for Waterloo set off from the platform, travelled 215 yards (197 m) and collided almost head-on with the light engine, which overturned injuring both of its crew – the driver's leg was broken.

The leading coach of the electric train was severely damaged; the motorman and twelve of the seventy passengers sustained minor injuries.

[9] Since 2000, a number of transport proposals have been put forward to improve rail connections with Heathrow Airport.

[10][11] Heathrow Airtrack was abandoned in 2011 due to forecast problems with the large number of level crossings on the route into London.