It is about 1.5 km (0.93 mi) southeast of the city centre and was opened on 1 October 1960, replacing the old passenger station on the southern edge of the old town.

Due to the growing traffic of the post-war era, the need of a new main station was urgent.

It was decided to build a new through station on the outskirts of the city in the district now called Viewegs Garten.

An unusual proposal was put forward in 1908 with the future station orientated north–south at the end of today's Jasperallee (to the northeast of the old town).

The building of a line to a new through station was difficult as the area around the old city of Braunschweig was already heavily developed at the end of the 19th century.

A new wide boulevard would be built from the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz running north–south to connect the new station to the old town.

A competition for design concepts for the new central station was advertised in May 1956 and 51 proposals were submitted for the new building.

The foundation stone was laid for the entrance building on 24 March 1959 and its topping out ceremony was held on 15 October 1959.

As part of the relocation of the station, the main post office was moved from the inner city to Berliner Platz.

On 15 June 1970, a pedestrian overpass was completed between the Hauptbahnhof and the Hotel Atrium over the Berliner Platz, together with a tavern.

In local services, it was proposed that lines 1, 2, 3 and 10 of the RegioStadtBahn (regional light rail) would also serve the station, with work starting in about 2014,[10] although this is in doubt.

It connects the station with the suburbs of Heidberg, Melverode and Stöckheim in the south of Braunschweig.