On 1 August 1875, it opened Coesfeld Station (Westphalia) at the end of the section from Dülmen East.

Ten years later, passenger services were abandoned on the northern section of the Rhenish line from Coesfeld to Rheine.

The exit from Coesfeld station towards Ahaus (infrastructure line number (VzG) 2100) was realigned until 28 August 1993.

The section of the Duisburg-Quakenbrück (VzG 2273) from Lutum to St. Arnold was completely closed on 1 January 1996 and has since been partly dismantled.

It was officially inaugurated on 18 January 2013 in the presence of the transport minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, Michael Groschek.