Cheam Railway station is located between Cheam Village and South Cheam. This is approximately 200 meters south of Cheam High Street (A232), near its junction with the A217. The railway goes under the A217 (Belmont Rise) at the eastern end of the station.
The station is almost 16 miles (26 km) from London Bridge station. Over the years, Cheam station expanded, and was rebuilt and the rail bed widened in preparation for the installation of AC overhead electric services, which would have included the building of an additional central platform island. Due to the outbreak of the First World War, the full planned expansion was cancelled and was never completed. Nevertheless, the through lines were still in place until 1978 after the Bognor Regis and Portsmouth express services were withdrawn from the Sutton and Dorking route to serve an expanding Gatwick Airport. The wide space between the tracks still remains and shows where the fast lines had been laid prior their removal. The brick main buildings are on the down side of the station.