The station is situated on the hill above Porthminster beach on the south side of the town. It has a single platform, which is on the left of trains arriving from St Erth, which is 4.25 miles (6.8 km) to the south.
In 2020, St Ives was named the most expensive seaside resort in the UK. The town has the second highest visitor-related spend in the UK, with tourists spending £85 million per year.