While the train operates on the 98.7 km Kyoto-Nisi-Akashi Section in a narrow sense, it is actually operated on the 144.7 km Yasu-Kakogawa section since the section of its operation was extended to the Kakogawa Station and Kusatsu Station (Shiga Prefecture) at the end of the JNR era.
狭義の区間は上記のとおり京都～西明石間98.7kmであるが、国鉄末期の加古川駅、草津駅(滋賀県)への延長を皮切りに、現在では野洲駅～加古川間144.7kmが主な運行区間になっている。