The Vorarlberg Railway (Aktiengesellschaft k. k. priv. Vorarlberger Bahn) opened the cross-border line between Austria-Hungary and Switzerland on 23 November 1872. The first through express train between Zürich and Munich ran just under a year later, on 1 November 1873. The line, as with most of the Austrian railway network, was nationalized prior to World War I. The line was electrified on 2 January 1949.
Between 2010 and 2013, the Alpine Rhine bridge was replaced by a new one and the adjacent Lustenau Markt station was suspended. Between 2016 and 2021, Lustenau station was modernized. In 2021, the section between Lustenau and Lauterach was renewed, including the reconstruction of Hard-Fussach station and upgrade of the section between this station and Lauterach West to two tracks. The new station Lauterach Unterfeld (replacing the former Lauterach West station) was introduced. Additional measures taken included improved noise protection for residents and flood protection.[1]
As of the December 2023 timetable change,[update] local passenger service with intermediate calls en route is provided by the S3, which operates every half-hour between St. Margrethen and Bregenz, and R5 of Vorarlberg S-Bahn. Additionally some trains of the S7 service of St. Gallen S-Bahn/Bodensee S-Bahn and long-distance EuroCity trains (Zürich–Munich) operate over the route but make no intermediate stops: