 The Main Line connects with the Tōkaidō Main Line (Biwako Line), the Hokuriku Main Line and the Tōkaidō Shinkansen at Maibara, the Biwako Line at Hikone, and the Kusatsu Line and the Shigaraki Kōgen Railway at Kibukawa.The Yōkaichi Line connects with the Biwako Line at Ōmi-Hachiman.At first, the Main Line was planned to connect Hikone and Fukawa (now Kōnan) and run through to Ujiyamada.