 Not until 1868/69 was the Upper Hessian Railway Company founded with assistance from the Frankfurt banking house, Erlanger & Söhne, and with the financial support of the state of Hesse.It contracted a Belgian company to build routes from the railway hub of Giessen to Gelnhausen (Lahn–Kinzig Railway) and Fulda (Vogelsberg Railway).On 29 December 1869 services were opened from Giessen to Hungen, on 29 June 1870 to Nidda and on 30 October 1870 to Büdingen.