Piacenza railway station is situated at Piazzale Guglielmo Marconi, at the eastern edge of the city centre.

However, the line to Cremona has remained open, apart from a short period in the late 1940s, following the destruction of World War II.

On 12 January 1997, an ETR 460 Pendolino train derailed about 200 metres (660 feet) outside the station, due to the rupture of the universal joint that connects the traction motors to the wheels.

On board the train was the former President of Italy, Francesco Cossiga, who, by chance, remained unharmed.

The work was mainly concerned with the passenger building: the construction of a suspended ceiling, the installation of a new lighting system, a broadening of opportunities for commercial services and adaption of technological systems to comply with legal requirements.

Some abandoned tracks in the goods yard will be dismantled to make way for the mini-Piacenza highway under construction north of the town.

The highway will connect the southern part of the city, via Diete di Roncaglia, with central Milan, and from there with the bridge over the Po river.

In addition to Trenitalia, the operators of goods services to and from the station are Linea, Crossrail and GTS, which send frequent trains of container wagons to the nearby logistics hub.