Special rapid trains, which used to pass through Yamashina Station when the operation was extended to Kusatsu Station, later came to stop at Yamashina Station due to the increased numbers of passengers and for the improvement of convenience of changing trains from the Kosei Line to the Biwako Line.
草津延長運転開始時は通過していた新快速は、その後の利用客の増加や湖西線から琵琶湖線への乗換利便性向上のためのちに停車するようになった。