It is situated on the meeting point of the Erfurt-Schweinfurt, Arnstadt–Saalfeld and Arnstadt-Ichtershausen lines.

The station was opened on May 16, 1867, then as the southern terminus of the railway line to Erfurt.

In 1869, a line to Plaue and Ilmenau was added at the southern end of the station.

The station saw a number of long-distance services calling before World War II, for example the fast trains from Berlin to Stuttgart.

Its importance diminished however after the German division, even though it still had long distance trains to Suhl and Berlin calling at the station.