All services at Thornton Heath are operated by Southern using Class 377 EMUs.

The typical off-peak service in trains per hour is:[3] During the peak hours, the station is served by an additional half-hourly service between London Victoria and Sutton.

The Balham Hill and East Croydon line was constructed by the London Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR) as a short-cut on the Brighton Main Line to London Victoria, avoiding Crystal Palace and Norwood Junction.

[5] According to the Railway Gazette for 30 November 1962 the station was originally called Colliers Water Lane, but the standard history of the line was unable to verify the statement.

[8] Electronic ticket gates were installed at the station in summer 2009, as part of a project sponsored by the Department for Transport.