It runs for 2 km in a northwest–southeast direction, from the southern end of Mount Alexander Road, Flemington, to Haymarket roundabout and the northern end of Elizabeth Street, and provides a main connection between the northern arm of the CityLink tollway and Melbourne's CBD.

Flemington Road starts at the intersection of Boundary Road and the southbound ramp from CityLink and heads south-east as an eight-lane wide dual-carriageway, with a dedicated tram median down the centre; after passing the intersection with Racecourse Road and Elliot Avenue, the carriageways divide further to form a four-lane central carriageway with dedicated tram median, flanked by two-lane, one-way carriageways in each direction servicing properties and side-streets.

The road was signed National Route 79 in 1955, continuing south-east from Mount Alexander Road (and then from Tullamarine Freeway from 1972); National Routes 1 and 8 joined from Racecourse Road, all three continuing south-east until the intersection with Harker Street, where National Routes 8 and 79 terminated and National Route 1 continued south down Harker Street.

[4] The road provides access to several notable medicine and medical research institutions, as well as other facilities, particularly in the southeastern portion.

Flemington Road is entirely contained within the City of Melbourne local government area.