It branches off the Prussian Northern Railway in the Berlin district of Reinickendorf, north of Schönholz station (formerly Schönholz-Reinickendorf) and then passes through Tegel, Hennigsdorf and Velten to Kremmen.

The campaign for a connection between Berlin and the Ruppin district (now part of Ostprignitz-Ruppin) was led mainly from Velten, the population of which had grown to have over 5,000 as a result of industrialisation.

The first section was opened after about two years of construction on 1 October 1893 between Schönholz-Reinickendorf on the Northern Railway and Velten.

In 1983, the north-western sector of the Berlin outer ring was electrified with the standard German AC system.

North of Tegel part of the railway embankment had been removed to build the Hamburg Autobahn.

In order to operate both AC and DC trains into Hennigsdorf it was decided to avoid electrifying the line there with both systems on the same piece of track.