It takes its name from the fact that it runs through the southern Solling in Lower Saxony, an area of large forests and low mountains (Mittelgebirge).

The line begins in the North Rhine-Westphalian district of Höxter, near Ottbergen and runs on a high embankment including a bridge over the Nethe to Amelunxen.

It runs through a deep cutting to Wehrden station and then crosses the Weser river on a steel bridge and enters Lower Saxony and the district of Holzminden.

The Solling line climbs along the southern slope of the Rehbach valley through Uslar and Volpriehausen stations to Ertinghäusen (Bollert) tunnel, the highest point of the track (259 m above sea level), with gradients of up to 1.14%, and then runs down the Leine valley passing through Hardegsen on a gradient of up to 1.27%.

The bridge at Wehrden for the Solling railway was rebuilt with only one track and further repairs were subsequently carried out several times.

The Prussian state railways commenced construction of the line on 11 November 1873, the Ertinghausen tunnel, its highest point, was pierced on 6 September 1876, and its official opening took place on 15 January 1878.

This line was a very important route in the rail network of the German Empire, as it was a section of railway link between the industrial areas of Halle–Leipzig and the Ruhr.

The construction of the railway line through it and the resulting connection with the industrial centres of eastern and western Germany, stimulated economic growth.

[2] The division of Germany reduced the importance of the line, although freight traffic continued as far as Walkenried on the edge of the German Democratic Republic.

[2] Since 2000, total closure of the line has been threatened several times, although in 2002 freight traffic was temporarily resumed on a small scale.

To the east from Lauenförde-Beverungen, fares are set by Verkehrsverbundes Süd-Niedersachsen (transport association of southern Lower Saxony).