The joint station was opened on 11 September 1866 when the B&ER opened their branch from Taunton; the L&SWR added their connecting line from Chard Town two months later.
The L&SWR was built to 4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in (1,435 mm) standard gauge but the B&ER was a 7 ft (2,134 mm) broad gauge until 19 July 1891.
The two companies maintained separate signal boxes and staff.

The station was initially referred to as 'Chard Joint'.
It was renamed as plain 'Chard' on 1 March 1928, but it appeared as such in GWR timetables before that date.

There was a platform covered by a train shed for through trains, and a terminal bay platform at either end.
The southern bay platform fell out of use in 1917 when the GWR took to operating trains through to Chard Junction.
The sidings at the Southern end of the station were all removed by October 1927 and the signal box at this end of the station was closed the following year.
Another name change under British Railways ownership saw it become 'Chard Central' on 26 September 1949.
Passenger trains ceased to be operated on 11 September 1962, public goods traffic on 3 February 1964, and private goods traffic on 3 October 1966.
The station building and train shed still stand and are in use by engineering companies.
The joint station was opened on 11 September 1866 when the B&ER opened their branch from Taunton; the L&SWR added their connecting line from Chard Town two months later. The L&SWR was built to 4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in (1,435 mm) standard gauge but the B&ER was a 7 ft (2,134 mm) broad gauge until 19 July 1891. The two companies maintained separate signal boxes and staff.
The station was initially referred to as 'Chard Joint'. It was renamed as plain 'Chard' on 1 March 1928, but it appeared as such in GWR timetables before that date.
There was a platform covered by a train shed for through trains, and a terminal bay platform at either end. The southern bay platform fell out of use in 1917 when the GWR took to operating trains through to Chard Junction. The sidings at the Southern end of the station were all removed by October 1927 and the signal box at this end of the station was closed the following year. Another name change under British Railways ownership saw it become 'Chard Central' on 26 September 1949. Passenger trains ceased to be operated on 11 September 1962, public goods traffic on 3 February 1964, and private goods traffic on 3 October 1966. The station building and train shed still stand and are in use by engineering companies.
Chard branch line