Used by an average of 120,000 people per day, it's a railway track that acts as a commuter-traffic route connecting the section between the center of Kyoto City and the Yamashina and Fushimi wards, which are located in the southeastern area of Kyoto City; it also serves as a transportation route between Kyoto City and Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture.
京都市中心部と同市東南部の山科区・伏見区との通勤輸送、及び滋賀県大津市との都市間輸送の一部を担う路線であり、1日平均12万人が利用している。