The station is situated on an embankment and a bridge above road level.
The ticket office is at ground level on the north side although the town centre lies to the south of the station, about 1 mile (1.6 km) away.
There is a car park on both sides of the station and bus services to the town centre call at a bus stop in front of the ticket office; those from the town call at a stop on the main road that passes beneath the station.
The south block is a Grade II listed building.

The platform above the ticket office is Platform 5, which is the main platform used by trains towards London Paddington and also Bristol and the north.
The station buffet is situated on this platform.
An east-facing bay platform, Platform 6, is beyond this; it only sees occasional use nowadays, mainly being used for local trains towards Bristol.

In the centre of the station is an island platform.
The face on the north side is Platform 4 which can be used by similar trains to Platform 5.
The face on the south side is Platform 3, which is used as an extra platform for services towards Exeter but is mainly used for terminating services from the Bristol direction that can also start back from this platform.

The southerly platform is Platform 2 and is the main platform for services to Exeter and beyond.
 Trains can also start from this platform towards London and Bristol if required.
 At the north end is the bus shelter for rail-link buses to Minehead.
It has level access from a second car park.


 
At the west end of this platform is another bay platform, Platform 1.
This is not signalled for use by passenger trains but is sometimes used for stabling.
Behind this are some sidings used by the engineers department for stabling on-track plant and the headshunt for Fairwater Yard.
This area also housed the station's engine shed but this closed many years ago,  although the last remains were only demolished in 2012.

Terminating trains from Bristol that need to cross to Platform 2 or 3 have to run forward towards Fairwater and then return to the station once the driver has changed ends.
To reach Platform 6 they have to make this move and then run right through the station, the driver change ends, and then reverse into Platform 6.
First Great Western have proposed that alterations be made to the layout at the east end of the station to allow terminating trains from Bristol to run straight into Platform 6.
The shunting of trains across the layout at the west end of the station has long been a Taunton feature; in the days of trains to Minehead, Barnstaple, and local stations to Exeter, terminating trains were drawn back from the up side platforms via various sidings, and then returned to the down side departure platforms, and pilot locomotives were provided to assist in the days of hauled stock.
The station is situated on an embankment and a bridge above road level. The ticket office is at ground level on the north side although the town centre lies to the south of the station, about 1 mile (1.6 km) away. There is a car park on both sides of the station and bus services to the town centre call at a bus stop in front of the ticket office; those from the town call at a stop on the main road that passes beneath the station. The south block is a Grade II listed building.
The platform above the ticket office is Platform 5, which is the main platform used by trains towards London Paddington and also Bristol and the north. The station buffet is situated on this platform. An east-facing bay platform, Platform 6, is beyond this; it only sees occasional use nowadays, mainly being used for local trains towards Bristol.
In the centre of the station is an island platform. The face on the north side is Platform 4 which can be used by similar trains to Platform 5. The face on the south side is Platform 3, which is used as an extra platform for services towards Exeter but is mainly used for terminating services from the Bristol direction that can also start back from this platform.
The southerly platform is Platform 2 and is the main platform for services to Exeter and beyond.  Trains can also start from this platform towards London and Bristol if required.  At the north end is the bus shelter for rail-link buses to Minehead. It has level access from a second car park.

 
At the west end of this platform is another bay platform, Platform 1. This is not signalled for use by passenger trains but is sometimes used for stabling. Behind this are some sidings used by the engineers department for stabling on-track plant and the headshunt for Fairwater Yard. This area also housed the station's engine shed but this closed many years ago,  although the last remains were only demolished in 2012.
Terminating trains from Bristol that need to cross to Platform 2 or 3 have to run forward towards Fairwater and then return to the station once the driver has changed ends. To reach Platform 6 they have to make this move and then run right through the station, the driver change ends, and then reverse into Platform 6. First Great Western have proposed that alterations be made to the layout at the east end of the station to allow terminating trains from Bristol to run straight into Platform 6. The shunting of trains across the layout at the west end of the station has long been a Taunton feature; in the days of trains to Minehead, Barnstaple, and local stations to Exeter, terminating trains were drawn back from the up side platforms via various sidings, and then returned to the down side departure platforms, and pilot locomotives were provided to assist in the days of hauled stock.
Taunton railway station