The station uses one of the high level platforms of the former interchange station with the earlier Mid Wales Railway which served the town of Builth Wells directly on its route from Cardiff to the North. The original station did not bear the name "Builth Road", instead being given the name "Llechryd". Builth Road was the name subsequently given to the Central Wales Extension Railway's high level station on the line from Llandrindod Wells to Llandovery that opened in 1866. The Mid-Wales Railway station was eventually renamed Builth Road Low Level in 1889. The two routes crossed immediately south of the High Level station on a girder bridge and were at one time connected by lift. Both the High and Low Level stations had substantial buildings until the mid-1960s, with High Level also having a goods shed and a running loop to accommodate the banking locomotives employed to assist trains on the 1 in 74 climb up from Llandrindod Wells. The former Low Level station buildings also still stand and were used as the former Cambrian Arms public house, whilst those on the remaining active platform at High Level are now used as housing.
Facilities
The station is unmanned and has no ticket machine, so tickets must be purchased in advance or on the train. There is a standard waiting shelter on the platform, along with a digital CIS display, timetable poster board and customer help point at the station entrance. Level access is provided from the entrance to the platform, with a section raised to assist passengers boarding and alighting.
Services
All trains serving the station are operated byTransport for Wales and it is a request stop. There are only four trains a day in each direction from Monday to Saturday, and two services on Sundays. During the Royal Welsh Show, Transport for Wales run special services with connecting buses to/from the showground on the northern outskirts of Builth Wells.
Terminology
The addition of the word "Road" to the name of the station indicates that the station is not at Builth, but is some distance away on the road to Builth. Similarly, Gwinear Road and Beaulieu Road. It is unusual in retaining the term "road": in recent times some such stations have been provided with park and ride facilities and renamed "Parkway", for example Bodmin Parkway. But it is not the only station on the line to retain the "Road" suffix, as the station serving Llanbister retains the name Llanbister Road.
