Originally, it was planned to construct two routes: the route which connects Tokyo City to Kyoto City, Osaka City and Kobe City, namely the route to connect three urban prefectures which would support Japan chiefly; and the route from Tokyo to Tsuruga City, a trading city on the Japan Sea side, diverging from Maibara City.
当初は東京市と京都市・大阪市・神戸市の間、すなわち日本の屋台骨となる三府を結ぶ路線と、日本海側の貿易都市である敦賀市へ米原市から分岐して至る路線を敷設しようとしていた。