In the immediate vicinity are the Internationales Congress Center Dresden, the former cigarette factory Yenidze, the Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber (college of music) in the former Wettiner Gymnasium (school) and the Ostragehege, which contains the Messe Dresden (exhibition ground) and various sports facilities.

Under the leadership of building manager Otto Klette, it was agreed that this would involve the creation of a new central train station, but for a long time a consensus could not be reached on the site.

After the Elbe flood in March 1845, the inspector of surveys Karl Pressler had suggested the relocation of the Weißeritz near Cotta so that the former riverbed could be used for a Dresden central station.

[3] From 1891 to September 1893, the Weißeritz was relocated and the current Mitte station was opened provisionally for through traffic on 1 August 1896.

[4] Located at the entrance to the elevated tracks at street level were ticket counters, baggage handling facilities, waiting rooms and restaurants, as are found at Dresden-Neustadt station.

The fact that a local railway station had such extensive facilities is an indication of its importance for professional and commercial activity.

A main objective of the planned restructuring of the railway node was to allow trains to run on the east–west route between Chemnitz and Görlitz without reversing in Dresden.

[8] The previous name of the station referred to the royal House of Wettin and therefore was not considered to be consistent with the socialist system.

No platform canopies remained,[7] but the tracks and the buildings were designed for a covered station and rainwater seeped through the inadequately sealed floor and caused a gradual decline in its condition.

After the reunification of Germany, there were initially plans for the building of a glazed concourse on two levels with shops and offices designed by Ingenhoven Architects.

[9] Minor renovations took place in 1997 and Deutsche Bahn rebuilt the station from scratch from November 2001 during the reconstruction of the Leipzig–Dresden railway.

Its central location within Dresden and the many interchanges possibilities at the station make it of great importance for local and regional transport.