It was opened on 15 October 1877 by the Swiss National Railway (Schweizerische Nationalbahn; SNB).

The trains ran past Zürich to its north, which meant that it was not connected to this important centre of industry.

Originally it had been planned to open the adjoining Wettingen–Baden Oberstadt section together with the line towards Zofingen on 6 September 1877.

The section between Zürich-Seebach and Schärenmoos (now Opfikon), the so-called Konkurskurve (bankruptcy curve), was closed between 25 May 1909 and 15 November 1939 (but the Oerlikon-Schärenmoos-(Kloten) line, which was built later remained open).

A freight train, which consisted of tank wagons carrying petrol, derailed at Affoltern station on 8 March 1994.

In Würenlos there has been a branch to Killwangen-Spreitenbach since 1980, which allows freight trains to reach the Limmattal marshalling yard via the Furttal.

An express goods yard was planned between the stations of Otelfingen and Buchs-Dällikon until the 1970s, but it was never built.

The line runs to Buchs-Dällikon, which is on a level area between the two named villages and on to Regensdorf-Watt.

The line between Schärenmoos and Zurich-Oerlikon was built by the NOB after the bankruptcy of the SNB and opened on 1 June 1881.

The tunnel thus serves as weather protection for almost the whole length of the 300 metre-long island platform.

The SNB also built a third track between Effretikon and Winterthur, which was laid parallel to the NOB line.