On 21 February 1903, the bypass was connected to Hamburg Hauptbahnhof via the main freight yard (Hauptgüterbahnhof) at the former Hannoverscher Bahnhof (the original terminal station on the line to Hanover).

During World War II, railway traffic was repeatedly interrupted through the Hamburg city centre by bombing and trains were diverted over the freight bypass.

The new line was put in operation on 13 August 1996, so that the Maschen Marshalling Yard is now connected by the freight bypass track to Schleswig-Holstein.

In 2009 work began on fitting the line between Groß Borstel and Alsterdorf with noise barriers for the relief of the local residents.

It continues to the former Barmbek freight yard in the heights near Rübenkamp (City Nord) and Alte Wöhr S-Bahn stations.

Following the upgrade of the Hamburg–Lübeck line, duplication of the 3.3 km long section between Horn and Rothenburgsort was completed at the end of 2007, including the widening of eight bridges.

During World War II, this track was extended to the premises of the important wartime lathe manufacturer Heidenreich & Harbeck.

This link was reported in 1985 in the federal transport infrastructure plans as a line connecting Hamburg-Harburg and Hamburg-Rothenburgsort, but without a specific route.

Long-distance trains run between Rothenburgsort and Hamburg-Horn on the freight bypass from and to Lübeck, if they are using platform tracks 11–14 in the western part of Hamburg station.