The line from Wickford to Southend including Prittlewell station was opened on 1 October 1889.[2] There was a goods yard handling mainly domestic coal to the north-west of Prittlewell station; the yard closed on 5 June 1967.[2] Electrification of the Shenfield to Southend Victoria line using 1.5 kV DC overhead line electrification (OLE) was completed on 31 December 1956. This was changed to 6.25 kV AC in November 1960 and to 25 kV AC on 25 January 1979.[2]
Prittlewell itself was the original settlement here, until Southend expanded and engulfed it.
Prittlewell is the preceding station to Southend Victoria, the eastern terminus of the line; the typical off-peak service to Southend Victoria is three trains per hour. In the London-bound direction, trains call at all stations along the line to its western terminus of Shenfield, where they join the Great Eastern Main Line to run non-stop to Stratford and Liverpool Street. The typical off-peak service towards London is also three trains per hour (one of which calls additionally at Romford).
The station is now open on a Sunday after the timetable change in December 2019.