The Victorian station buildings at Bearsted, with their sandy-coloured brickwork and small platform awnings, opened with the arrival of the London, Chatham and Dover Railway in 1884. At that time Bearsted was a small village, and although it has grown much over the past century, travellers still arrive within a short walk of the traditional village green. It's a pleasant scene, surrounded by a couple of historic pubs and a number of listed buildings, some of which date back to the 15th and 16th centuries.
Today, trains to Bearsted travel between London Victoria - via Maidstone East - and Ashford International, with some services continuing on to Canterbury West. There are also peak hour services across London to Bedford, via Farringdon and St Pancras International. Present-day Bearsted is often seen as part of Maidstone, although it remains separated from its larger neighbour thanks to the green expanse of Mote Park, to the west of the village.