It is on the Nahe Valley Railway (German: Nahetalbahn) and is classified by Deutsche Bahn as a category 4 station.

In 1860, the Nahe Valley Railway was completed to the Saarland, making train travel possible to Neunkirchen, where there was a connection to the Palatine Ludwig Railway (Pfälzische Ludwigsbahn).

Today, the Nahe Valley Railway is one of the main axes of passenger services in Rhineland-Palatinate.

In November 2008, the building was completely repainted and decorated with pictures of the city's attractions.

Idar-Oberstein station is served by the following regional rail services: