The Hergatz–Lindau section was electrified between 2018 and 2020 as part of the Munich–Lindau upgraded line project, which uses a shorter but largely single-track route via Memmingen.

This was followed by the 42.52 km over the King Louis Bridge (König-Ludwig-Brücke, later replaced by the Upper Iller bridge—Obere Illerbrücke) to the former Kempten terminus on 1 April 1852.

The former Bavarian S 3/6 (later class 18) locomotives provided high-quality, international express train services here for many decades.

From 23 May 1954 to 31 May 1958, railway buses ran from Augsburg and Biessenhofen via Pforzen, continuing for a short time to run by rail to Roßhaupten, before reaching Füssen by road.

The Bundesbahn Central Offices tested almost every diesel locomotive class was on the line because of its hilly profile.

The relocation of Lindau station to the mainland had already been considered at that time as it would make sense if a new railway tunnel was built through the Alps.

Die Länderbahn operated a service known as the Allgäu-Express on the line from the end of 2003, initially in partnership with the Swiss Federal Railways.

Beginning at the timetable change in December 2014, a total of seven trains were operated with new TRAXX (class 245) diesel locomotives and double-decker cars on the Munich–Füssen route and during peak hours on the Munich–Kempten route, replacing trains composed of class 218 locomotives and single-decker Silberling cars.

[11] In February 2008, Germany and Switzerland signed a letter of intent committing to upgrading the Munich–Lindau line and electrifying the previously non-electrified section between Geltendorf and Lindau.

On the evening of 9 February 1971 a TEE 56 service derailed on the Munich–Zurich route at Aitrang due to speeding, killing 28 people and seriously injuring 42.

The German EuroCity trains on the line were replaced by ICE TD (class 605) diesel multiple units in 2001/2002 on the Munich–Lindau–St.

Operation of Eurocity services with ETR 610 electric multiple units on this line ended at the timetable change on 13 December 2020.

In long-distance traffic, the Nebelhorn Intercity train pair from Hamburg to Oberstdorf uses the Buchloe–Immenstadt section of the line.