The through station, which is oriented in the southwest-northeast direction, is the terminus of three routes.
The Děčín–Dresden-Neustadt railway approaches the station from the other side of the Elbe (chainage: 66.333 km) over the Marienbrücke.
The Görlitz–Dresden (102.102 km) and Leipzig–Dresden (115.936 km) railways approach from the northeast.
The direct line of the tracks forms the connection from the Marienbrücke towards Görlitz.
The line from Leipzig connects through a curve from the northwest around 650 metres to the northeast of the station in Bischofsplatz.
This connection is the only grade-separated junction in the station area.

Two elevated tracks run in the open to the northwest of the train shed, handling freight traffic to and from Görlitz.
Freight trains to Leipzig turn north immediately after the Marienbrücke and run through the Dresden-Neustadt freight yard on the Dresden-Pieschen–Dresden-Neustadt railway.
A separate double-track line existed until 2001 for freight trains running on the Görlitz–Leipzig route.
In 2002, this was converted to a single-track connecting curve that branched from the northeastern part of the station toward Neustadt freight yard; this existed until 2005.
The resulting triangle of tracks was almost opposite the entrance building.
Between the connecting curve and the northern approach to the station are disused facilities of the former Dresden-Neustadt locomotive depot (Lokbahnhof).

Tracks were originally grouped by direction of operation.
Tracks 1 to 4 were used by passenger trains leaving Dresden and tracks 5 to 8 were used by trains running into Dresden.
The central platforms were reserved for long-distance services.
Trains to and from Leipzig and Berlin ran on platform tracks 3 and 6 and trains to and from Görlitz ran on platform tracks 4 and 5.
The suburban trains to Arnsdorf ran on platform track 1 and platform track 8 was used in the reverse direction.
Platform tracks 2 and 7 were used by suburban traffic to and from Coswig and Meissen.
Thus trains to and from the Görlitz line ran on platform tracks 1, 4, 5 and 8 and trains to and from the Leipzig line ran on the other platform tracks.
On the northern approach next to track 1 there were storage facilities for suburban trains commencing or ending at the station.

There have been significant changes to the tracks since 2006 during renovations that continue.
One aim of this work is to provide separate infrastructure for different routes.

Because some platforms were not available during the reconstruction, additional temporary platforms were built.
Outside the train shed the inner of the two freight train tracks was used for platform 9, while the other track remained platform-free.
From 2007 to September 2014, a further temporary outside platform called Dresden-Neustadt Außenbahnsteig (Gleis 10)—Dresden-Neustadt outside platform (track 10)—was located just a few metres away on the Dresden-Pieschen–Dresden-Neustadt line.
Regional express trains on the Leipzig–Dresden route and S-Bahn trains temporarily stopped at platform 10, but only those running towards Dresden Hbf.
The through station, which is oriented in the southwest-northeast direction, is the terminus of three routes. The Děčín–Dresden-Neustadt railway approaches the station from the other side of the Elbe (chainage: 66.333 km) over the Marienbrücke. The Görlitz–Dresden (102.102 km) and Leipzig–Dresden (115.936 km) railways approach from the northeast. The direct line of the tracks forms the connection from the Marienbrücke towards Görlitz. The line from Leipzig connects through a curve from the northwest around 650 metres to the northeast of the station in Bischofsplatz. This connection is the only grade-separated junction in the station area.
Two elevated tracks run in the open to the northwest of the train shed, handling freight traffic to and from Görlitz. Freight trains to Leipzig turn north immediately after the Marienbrücke and run through the Dresden-Neustadt freight yard on the Dresden-Pieschen–Dresden-Neustadt railway. A separate double-track line existed until 2001 for freight trains running on the Görlitz–Leipzig route. In 2002, this was converted to a single-track connecting curve that branched from the northeastern part of the station toward Neustadt freight yard; this existed until 2005. The resulting triangle of tracks was almost opposite the entrance building. Between the connecting curve and the northern approach to the station are disused facilities of the former Dresden-Neustadt locomotive depot (Lokbahnhof).
Tracks were originally grouped by direction of operation. Tracks 1 to 4 were used by passenger trains leaving Dresden and tracks 5 to 8 were used by trains running into Dresden. The central platforms were reserved for long-distance services. Trains to and from Leipzig and Berlin ran on platform tracks 3 and 6 and trains to and from Görlitz ran on platform tracks 4 and 5. The suburban trains to Arnsdorf ran on platform track 1 and platform track 8 was used in the reverse direction. Platform tracks 2 and 7 were used by suburban traffic to and from Coswig and Meissen. Thus trains to and from the Görlitz line ran on platform tracks 1, 4, 5 and 8 and trains to and from the Leipzig line ran on the other platform tracks. On the northern approach next to track 1 there were storage facilities for suburban trains commencing or ending at the station.
There have been significant changes to the tracks since 2006 during renovations that continue. One aim of this work is to provide separate infrastructure for different routes.
Because some platforms were not available during the reconstruction, additional temporary platforms were built. Outside the train shed the inner of the two freight train tracks was used for platform 9, while the other track remained platform-free. From 2007 to September 2014, a further temporary outside platform called Dresden-Neustadt Außenbahnsteig (Gleis 10)—Dresden-Neustadt outside platform (track 10)—was located just a few metres away on the Dresden-Pieschen–Dresden-Neustadt line. Regional express trains on the Leipzig–Dresden route and S-Bahn trains temporarily stopped at platform 10, but only those running towards Dresden Hbf.
Dresden-Neustadt station