At first, the line was opened mainly for transporting Tango "chirimen" (silk crepe, which was the specialty produced in the area along the line) to the "Keihanshin area" (the area including Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe), and the line also provided passenger traffic service.
当初は沿線の特産品である丹後ちりめんを京阪神地区に輸送することを主目的として開業し、旅客営業も行った。