Originally there were two northern termini, each on a separate rail branch: one next to the former city hall at "Station Batavia Noord", and the other at "Kleine Boom" on the east side of the Sunda Kelapa harbor near current day Pasar Ikan.

"Kleine Boom" was the location of a customs office, and therefore this terminus was primarily meant for foreign boat passengers.

[1] Initially built as a standard gauge (which at the time was referred to as 1067 mm gauge) and single-track railway, the line gained a second track and was electrified in the early 1920s in a project to improve the entire Batavian railway network.

There had been plans to elevate the line between Sawah Besar and Manggarai, but this was cancelled due to the depression of 1920-21.

The elevated stations were each colored differently, hence the "rainbow line" nickname.