Originally opened in April 1865 by the Great Eastern Railway as Chigwell Road, renamed in December of the same year as Chigwell Lane and then finally named Debden in 1949 after the change to electric services from steam, Debden station saw a temporary suspension of passenger services during World War I.

Debden, one of a limited number of towns outside Greater London to be served by the London Underground, is home to the British Postal Museum Store and the De La Rue print works, which supplies the Bank of England banknotes.