The first railway from Hanover to Bremen was to run through the Aller valley based on a plan by Taylor-Vignoles.

Later plans to build a line from Magdeburg to Bremen through the Aller Valley existed from as early as 1866.

At Oldau station an industrial siding branched off eastwards to the Einigkeit II (Prinz Adalbert) potash works in Ovelgönne.

At Südwinsen station another siding branched off west to the Steinförde potash works which operated in Wietze-Steinförde from 1907 to 1923.

Passenger services were discontinued on the western section after 25 September 1966, and goods traffic from Wietzenbruch to Schwarmstedt ceased on 31 January 1985.

The section from Celle station to the military airfield in Wietzenbruch was operated by East Hanoverian Railways from 1998 until 2005.