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.