Up to the vicinity of Ichihara Station, although the route runs through the foothills of the mountain, residential districts line the railway, giving it the flavor of a city outskirts route; north of the station, the route becomes a mountain one, with an inclination of 50 per mil.
市原駅付近までは山裾を走るものの沿線に住宅地が広がり都市近郊路線の趣きがあるが、同駅以北は50パーミルの勾配がある山岳路線となる。