Russell Street is lined with established trees and is the home of numerous public amenities and buildings.

Noteworthy structures include: The street is also home to many buildings featured on the Victorian Heritage Register or classified by the National Trust of Australia, including: The Savoy Theatre was a cinema located at 172 Russell Street, originally built as a temperance hall in 1872, and was quite a grand building, with marble tiled entrance.

[8] Manager Peter Dawson, along with Frank Selleck, later ran the Sydney Savoy Theatre as well.

[6] On 27 March 1986, a car bomb was detonated on Russell Street near the Police Headquarters.

[9] Russell street is partly serviced by Kinetic Melbourne bus routes 200 and 207.