[4] The station was opened in 1886 by the Deutsch-Nordischer Lloyd, operating a combined railway/ferry line to Nykøbing Falster in Denmark.

The importance of the traditional route to Hamburg and Copenhagen diminished after the post-World War II division of Germany, with long-distance services instead focusing on cities within the German Democratic Republic.

The company operated the Lloyd Railway on the Neustrelitz–Rostock–Warnemünde route and the subsequent mail steamer connection to Nykøbing Falster.

In 1894, the Lloyd Railway was acquired by the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and incorporated in the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg Friedrich-Franz Railway (Großherzoglich Mecklenburgische Friedrich-Franz-Eisenbahn, MFFE), which already owned a large station in Rostock.

In 1913, the station entrance hall was redeveloped with Art Nouveau elements and small balustrades to a design by Paul Korff.

Passenger numbers rose sharply, especially after the establishment of new industrial enterprises and residential areas in the north-west of the city.

Rostock's "traditional" long-distance connections to Hamburg and Copenhagen were very limited after the division of Germany in 1949.

In the general transport plan of the 1960s for the city, a new through station was provided near the suburb of Brinckmansdorf where trains from Stralsund could continue towards the south without reversing.

Planning around 1980 provided for the demolition of the station building that was built between the tracks to make room for island platforms.

A new subterranean level was added with a tram tunnel and a small southern entrance building.

Previously this platform was the location of the original entrance building, which was demolished to a large extent during the reconstruction up to 2000.