The main station building on the Liverpool-bound platform was disused for many years in the 1990s, but was re-opened as a pub/restaurant in June 2008.

The station is staffed part-time (06:15 to 12:45 weekdays, 07:00 to 13:30 Saturdays, closed Sundays) - outside these times, tickets must be bought in advance or on the train.

[2] Urmston has one local (Northern Trains) and one fast (Transpennine Express) service each hour in each direction on weekdays and Saturdays.

The TPE service runs between Liverpool Lime Street and Cleethorpes and calls at Irlam, Birchwood, Warrington Central and Liverpool South Parkway westbound, whilst running through to Manchester Piccadilly, Stockport, Sheffield and Doncaster eastbound.

The stopping service runs between Lime Street and Manchester Oxford Road only, but there are additional trains at peak times (some of which start/terminate at Warrington Central).