In 1864, a committee for construction of a standard gauge railway line connecting Zittau - Reichenau (Bogatynia) - Frýdlant - Liegnitz (Legnica) was established.
In 1884, a narrow gauge railway connecting Zittau with Markersdorf via Reichenau was built.
As a result, new plans for construction of a 750 mm (2 ft 5+1⁄2 in) gauge line connecting Frýdlant and Zittau were drawn up.
In 1899, a concession for construction along a Frýdlant - Dětřichov - Heřmanice route was granted.
Public transport, operated by Friedländer Bezirksbahn, started in August 1900.