The railway station, designed by the Italian architect Di Giovanni, was opened on 7 June 1886.

Palermo Centrale lies in the middle of the city, at Julius Caesar square (Piazza Giulio Cesare),[2] and its building has a multi-level structure.

As transport the Centrale is an important hub of regional services for Sicily, also served by the citizen subway which links it to the Airport of Punta Raisi.

For long-distance transport it is the terminus of InterCity trains to Naples, Rome, Milan and still 1970s to Paris.

It is still not served by Le Frecce trains, principally for its position on an island, but it is included in the project of Berlin–Palermo railway axis.