The first station in Rzeszów was built in 1858 on the newly constructed line of the Galician Railway of Archduke Charles Louis from Kraków which eventually reached Lwów in 1861.

The station was initially supposed to be located further outside the town to the north in the village of Zaczernie, however ultimately it was placed just north of the town square, creating a u-shaped bend on the railway.

In subsequent years, Rzeszów became an important railway junction, with additional connections to Jasło (southbound), and Tarnobrzeg's district of Ocice (northbound).

During World War I, the station was destroyed by the retreating Russian Imperial troops.

[1] The station offers connections to all major cities of Poland, also to Kyiv and Lviv.