It is situated on the northern, non-electrified section of the East Coast Main Line, 59+1⁄4 miles (95.4 km) northeast of Edinburgh.

[5] It is located in cutting at the south end of Camperdown tunnel, which passes beneath the town's former docks (now filled in) and required permanent pumping to keep dry.

[7] Both Balmossie and Invergowrie stations are located very close to the city's boundaries, but lie in Angus and Perth and Kinross.

A footbridge connected the new station building to the city's Union Street to allow pedestrians to cross the busy inner ring road safely.

In 2005, the footbridge was demolished in two phases as part of a regeneration project called the Dundee Central Waterfront Development Plan.

The designer of the station was Dundee-based architecture firm Nicoll Russell Studios in collaboration with Jacobs Engineering Group; construction work was carried out by Balfour Beatty.

[11] Construction of the new railway station was completed in early June and it was opened alongside the new Sleeperz Hotel on 9 July 2018 by Dundee West MSP & then Minister for Public Health and Sport Joe FitzPatrick, Lord Provost Ian Borthwick and representatives from Dundee City Council.