The railway between Mainz and Darmstadt was opened on 1 August 1858 and used a train ferry to cross the Rhine until 1862 when the South Bridge was put into service.

The ground floor had Rundbogenstil rounded portals that continued into the windows of the lower eastern arcade.

The main building had two storeys, with rectangular windows of bunter sandstone in a renaissance revival style.

The station retains the historic cast iron columns with fluted shafts and composite capitals of the platform roof, which were built in a neoclassical style in 1861 and which had probably been previously used at the old Hessian Ludwig Railway station in Darmstadt.

The Neutor barracks were built in 1866 directly below the station to defend the railway from a possible French invasion.

The retaining wall of the 19th century railway has been partially removed in recent years, enabling the excavation of the theatre.