[3] The station is managed by ScotRail and is on the Fife Circle Line, 17 miles (27 km) north of Edinburgh Waverley.

It was rebuilt in 1889, the Down (northbound) platform being extended eastwards with a new booking office building and a new Up (southbound platform) being provided; the extended facilities were brought into use on 5 March 1890, from which date the station was known as Dunfermline Lower in contradistinction to Dunfermline Upper on the line to Stirling.

During the 1970s and 1980s British Rail only ran a regular daytime service on the Dunfermline line between Edinburgh and as far as Cowdenbeath; Lochgelly & Cardenden were only served during the weekday business peaks, whilst the remainder of the route to Thornton Junction was freight-only (having been closed to passengers in 1969).

The platforms are connected by a ramped subway, this providing an alternative access to the station from Woodmill Street on the south side.

There is a taxi rank at the main entrance and station car parks on both sides of the railway.