The Best New TRAIN Games In 2024 & 2025 | Tracks, Rails & Engine Simulation

[@GamerZakh]

How many 'chuggas' do you say before the 'choo choo'? Also there are so many more upcoming games, dont miss them in the other lists: kzbin.info/aero/PLYVqUDxY6COh7bkuJoBb1koNRX7mAX2yp

[@Nikolas_Noseman]

Eight chuggaz

[@Dodge_RAM_1500_fan]

I can sound exactly like a locomotive

[@marcus-u6t]

The ‘chug gas’ are the steam engine going. The ‘Choo choo’ is the whistle.

[@Lowbugetremakes]

For me sweet transit feels like a new Sid mires railroad

[@GamerZakh]

@JacksonHolloman-cn8ew What I wrote is just a meme. Not that many people say "choo choo" when trains are mentioned. It's much more likely they say "I like trains", because that's another meme.

[@fastica]

Derail Valley is the best train game I played in recent times.

[@GamerZakh]

Oh yeah that's good, just been in early access since 2019 so a bit too long for me to include in my lists.

[@GasparGa]

@@GamerZakh It did get some huge updates recently though

[@sub_rapier]

And according to the roadmap they wanna add stuff like a new expansion, passenger jobs, electrification and AI trains soon this year

[@crazynachos4230]

​@@GamerZakheven for an early access game it's definitely quite a treat, especially so with the recent simulator update

[@GamerZakh]

@@crazynachos4230 Oh yeah it's good, it's just I don't list or mention a ton of early access games that started 3-4 years ago. 5 years ago I really don't list them anymore. The Universim was in early access for 10 years, I didn't mention it at all for 6 of those.

[@Railman1225]

Oh wow, SRRD is like a 3D remake of a classic Flash game called Rails of War! That game was my CHILDHOOD, and one I loved, and still do, to _death._ This looks like a true successor to that game, with elements added that RoW didn't have itself. I think I'll definitely be checking it out when it's released!

[@marshalzeppelin7820]

As for me, the first game is more like Locoland released in 2003

[@cv4981]

I was about to say!

[@tigershark4469]

Was about to say😂

[@toyroadsrails-trainscarspl1709]

Yeah! Rail of War is my favorite train game I've ever played. Mostly because I love the concept of various eras of trains ranging from classic steam engines all the way to modern high-speed bullet trains being utilized as heavily armed war trains. That game was so much fun. I hated the hostile bulldozer units, though.

[@Repsack2]

Factorio is completely revamping how their train system works in preparation for their upcoming Expansion pack. I think they have released at least 3 different dev logs with details on their website. I am excited to see how this will turn out

[@griffon2-6]

Railroader looks interesting, thx for putting it on my radar

[@GamerZakh]

It's currently the most popular one, I hadn't really heard of it before researching specifically into train games either. Might be a sleeper hit.

[@thegamingender6933]

@@GamerZakh to answer both of you, Railroader is amazing, and is definitely a sleeper hit. To put it lightly, it's basically an american Derail Valley set in the golden age of steam in the US(the 1940's). It's one of the most recent releases to date, with a loving community and great devs.

[@KevinFields777]

Just a note since I saw a few seconds of it in the opener, OpenTTD 14.0 Rc1 is now out, full 14.0 release coming soon. This will be one of the biggest updates in the game's history.

[@maddytube420]

When it comes to train games, not many talks about Transport Fever 2, since its not predominantly a train game. But in my opinion, its the best of the lot.

[@Esperpritzie]

Agreed, I like making megalomaniac sandbox maps and making MEGA sized train networks! But I also sometimes play career which puts your brain to work.

[@DmitriSkif]

Looking a bit confusing for a "Railroad game" not to have an ability to decouple cars and do shunting. But it has graphics better than all mean railroad simulators at market.

[@RHaenJarr]

Railroader is amazing. My only gripe with it right now is that the surroundings look kinda empty and sameish. Everything else about it rocks!

[@anthonyjolson87]

agreed, will be sweet once the world comes more alive. But the mechanics are great as is

[@stumpusMaximus]

Purely cosmetic, like all ‘on rails’ games. Functionality is more important. Passengers at station is a must though. Too much like spreadsheet action picking them up and constantly checking

[@osageorangegaming5128]

There's a train game I'd like to put on your radar, Zakh: Century of Steam by Studio346. Its been in development for well over half a year now with a currently unknown release date, but they've had some showing off of what they've got so far on their KZbin channel. You also might be interested in checking out the work of Mark Huber, aka Hyce here on KZbin, who' got roped into helping Studio346 with this project, due in large part to his extensive steam locomotive/railroading experience.

[@nicowolters8959]

Hyce is in fact the President of the studio.

[@renefrijhoff2484]

I saw that clip a while ago and I did put it immediately on my wishlist.

[@DmitriSkif]

This game has only one, but huge disapointment for me - it is all about USA Frontier and steam engines of 19th Century. I don't like game all about american steam, banjo, rednecks and moonshine.

[@jumbomills1319]

Almost 200k subs🎉

[@GamerZakh]

Thanks! I'm trying to not care too much about sub count, but have to say I've been seeing that creep up the last few weeks haha

[@ciawares]

Who remember Transarctica on Amiga?

[@YsabellMoebius]

I was thinking exactly the same thing :)

[@Milaisacat]

I was obsessed with the poster. I never played the game, I was a bit too young, but my local computer store had the poster and it left a deep imprint on me.

[@G_de_Coligny]

The good old days before needing adult diapers…

[@dani85sch]

Railroader ist one of the best Train Game that i have play so far

[@metlov]

Factorio team has been working on a massive update recently and yeah it’s not straightforwardly a train game, but railroad is a significant part of the gameplay. How is that related to 2024? Well in that new version they’re bringing massive amount of stuff to trains. Like 2nd floor railway bridges, huge amount of new automations and much more. Hoping that all enters release in 2024.

[@TheRealCharter]

Trains are one of my favorite parts of Factorio! Its like a train minigame within an extremely refined game itself.

[@MrGi3rt]

A bit disappointed that there seems to be a million variations or railroad tycoon, but nothing that pulls the genre forewards. A key aspect of railroad operations are the railyards and not simple point to point, preconfigured trains in all of these games

[@dromeascr123]

Nothing ever beat transport fever 2 in that genre, everything just seems a downgrade ever since

[@ElectRocnicOfficial]

I love how the train system works in Transport Fever 2. Placing curved rails with Bezier-like curves is so smooth.

[@SkyFly19853]

I love train and public transportation games.

[@dhxl]

The first game reminds me of Rail of War, but looks like way more elaborated.

[@youraveragecarguywithaporsche]

It really feels like a remaster of Rail of war.

[@DmitriSkif]

Yeah, totally rehauled and now in 3d!

[@jemesan77]

good video. Thanks for showing this year's games. I hope to one day play one that's worth it. greetings.

[@michaelmacdonell4834]

I have no idea how you knew! I worked on the railway here, and have a critical eye!

[@Watt_1200]

I wish a remake of sid meiers railroads would come out

[@SuperXG]

My hearts with Railroads Online. Been through some hard times, but I’ve had thousands of fun hours in it.

[@toyroadsrails-trainscarspl1709]

Rail of War... oh, how I loved that game. Finally, a spiritual successor!

[@GradySpencerFilms]

You MUST feature Railroads online! It’s a masterpiece in the making!

[@GamerZakh]

I generally have a 3 or 4 year cutoff for listing early access games. That's why I use the term 'new' in the titles. I sometimes make exceptions but most of the time I cut those out so the list isn't the same games again and again every year. Railroads Online was supposed to release after "up to 1 year" in early access. It's approaching 3 now and for the scope of a 2024 list, 2021 is usually too old. I do however have a rule that if a long early access game announces an actual full release date, I list it again. Or if I'm specifically doing an 'everything included' list, like I do in the simulation megalist: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bWSZpmCBibOhaqc

[@GROOV3ST3R]

Holy crap! Steel Republic Rail Defender is literally the game I've been wanting for years. This looks like the gritty, realistic spiritual successor to the rather niche, cute and quirky Locoland I used to play a lot as a kid. It's practically the same game. I am super hyped for that now. We have a metric crap ton of cookie cutter Train Sims, fairly stale formula of infrastructure development tycoon games and even puzzles - it's about time someone tried something unique and outside the box. Frostrain also looks like it breaks the mold quite a bit. On a personal note, Derail Valley is as of late my absolute go-to Train 'Sim', it just does what it does so well and is so engaging. Nothing else out there that's quite like it. Still in early access but well worth a look if you want to have total freedom to do things your way but also the freedom to make mistakes and suffer their consequences.

[@EduNauta95]

I've been replaying Railroad Tycoon 3 these last weeks and seeing this video makes me super salty. I need to RANT HARD. How on earth is it possible that a game released in facking 2003 still hasn't ever been surpassed?? All these game devs are all asleep at the wheel! 1) The most gorgeous and realistic 3D rendered landscapes ever. Maps in RT3 are rendered from real world height vector maps, and the game came with a tool to snip any part of the world map you want. Want a France scenario? Ireland? Madagascar??? You have it, with all the perfectly callibrated mountain ranges down to the local level. 2) The sheer pleasure of laying down tracks making curves through dozens of valleys avoiding steep inclines, while going from city to city. No stoopid arcade looking giant icons of cities 3 meters apart from each other and loopy looking, bridge abusing, legoland parodying nets of railtracks with cartoony graphics and characters screaming howdydo to your face. If you played a scenario from Boston to Buffalo, you made dozens of stations in dozens of cities in between. EXPANSES. SCALES. Meditate on the concept. 3) The impressive economic simulator, supply-demand dynamics with gradient areas accross the map depending on the location of houses and industries. A complex yet balanced system of geoeconomic simulation i have yet to see in any other videogame out there. 4) An inspiring simulation of personal finances, stock exchange, dividens, credit rating, etc. that is also impossible to see in any other similar videogame to my knowledge. 5) A good amount of micro logistics but not too much to overwhelm and demoralize the non-autistic player. A bit simplified compared to RT2 but a RT4 sequel could fix this. WHY IS THERE NO CONTINUATION TO THIS? Why every single new train game insists on developing quirky angles and situations, of making it a city builder, or focusing on signalling systems to the expense of everything else, of making a low poly arcade fest for 9 year olds? Why no current game makes a serious 3D successor to RT3???? It's been 21 years already!! Btw, the soundtrack to RT3 is a precious compilation of instrumental country music that needs to by remembered more.

[@joshharrison7863]

Been a while since you posted this, but I have to agree, all I could think watching this video, was Fahk, can I just get Railroad Tycoon 4, real world maps, with actual size, the economic simulation that blows everything else out of the water, actually interesting scenario's. Add in some new features, upgraded graphics and rake in the cash.

[@Ashenoa]

What about Railway Empire?Maybe it is good?

[@comical4609]

Oh boy trains... my favourite...

[@THEREALBLU13]

While not upcoming, Railgrade is another banger

[@King_doge_yippee]

Am here because this was on my recommendation page

[@wflinner]

Railroader is genuinely amazing if you love model railroads, especially the operations side of things. You spend most your time either running multiple trains at once, or setting up the next train at various yards. It has its niche but it does it SO well.

[@clockwork3494]

Something to note about Train Mechanic simulator 2024 is that it was meant to be released back in 2022 (possibly earlier even but that's the earliest year I could find) I will say, the fact they're taking a long time on it at least gives me hope they're putting in time and effort to make it a really polished product, so hopefully it won't disappoint after being at least 3 or more years in development.

[@anthonyjolson87]

Railroader is great. 250+ hours into it and I still love it. Really fun as a company management and train driving game. Lots of frequent updates in early access

[@polishcosmonaut6324]

Train Valley... I love how i was little kid playing old Train Valley games when they were flash games...

[@ImmortalAbsol]

1:12 essentially Rail Of War 3D which I enjoyed on the school computers at lunch haha

[@brokenhammer445]

I absolutely kove railroader! Can't wait to see how game progresses as we get closer to the official release

[@ACMaddocks]

Oooooh, trains... Shiny!

[@T3ki1a_]

Fun fact: the new train mechanic simulator was supposed to be 2023 (i had it on my wish list) but I guess they couldn't finish it in time.

[@Cyberbrickmaster1986]

I like trains. I've always liked trains! I just wish there was another train oriented game similar to 3D Ultra Lionel Traintown, released exclusively on PC back in 1999.

[@matsv201]

Train games supose to be relaxing, most of those game seams like they are really stressfull

[@ScP-049-01]

Saving this, I wanna play all of them

[@keeganseva3975]

I just want a game like Railroader, but where you pick your Railroad company (i.e. Conrail or BNSF) and help it grow.

[@Ledabot]

I wish I knew about trains, but I just think they're neat without really knowing how best to expand my knowledge

[@mortiphago]

train is my favorite genre

[@andrewdupuis1151]

i love train games

[@IRFSI]

I have seen videos of raulroader but it seems it hard to play alone and needs friends to play it. Is it playable solo as well?

[@highball5550]

I have been playing Railroader for a while now and I can confirm it is really fun. Personally I have been using it as a training tool of sorts to teach me the basics before getting out there and actually doing the thing in preservation.

[@luisitobardajibenitez8013]

keep in mind it could take a significant while before they even let you drive the real thing.

[@highball5550]

@@luisitobardajibenitez8013 true. But I am currently working with a non profit that’s working to restore a local engine and a friend of mine that works at a tourist line in Nevada gave me and a friend the opportunity to come out for a weekend next summer and do the thing. So while I’m by no means gonna be a hardcore railroader for a hot minute, I am in training.

[@highball5550]

@@luisitobardajibenitez8013 I’m actually part of a group that’s restoring a locomotive currently. It’s our hope to have her up in a few years.

[@julius6889]

Railroader have quite a few physics that are too arcady to be translated to real life. Just a fair warning.

[@highball5550]

I’m aware of that. Just using it to get the basics understood such as radio talk and such online. When with friends, the server host is usually dispatch.

[@ironhorsethrottlemaster5202]

Railroader is a blast but you need to check out a game that's going to come out in about a year from 346 Studios called Century of steam

[@fadedexile]

There needs to be a train game where you play as a Hobo hopping trains, evading bulls, and camping by the railroad.

[@Ksawerora]

Nimby Rails is also really good!

[@AleksandarIvanov69]

Hey, Zakh! Have you ever played the Kingdom series (Classic, New Lands and Two Crowns)? I am currently playing it and I really enjoy it. It is a very creative and interesting take on the base/city-building genre with a gorgeous aesthetic. Would love to see your playthrough/review of it.

[@sacredterrador5611]

To anyone who hasn’t tried it yet, the Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is a fantastic train-themed game.

[@alfyb4512]

“You’re a train aficionado” Actually I’m just locomotive-curious.

[@Temnadaaq-qm7nc]

Railroad Corporation seems cool

[@girthvader1551]

I want one for my 5 year old who loves trains. Which one of the less obviously kiddy ones is simplest? He likes realistic trains

[@shellbackbeau7021]

I'm not a reason afficionado, but my 2 year old son loves trains. Especially Japanese trains and Thomas the Tank Engine

[@BaptisteLuvwezoMampasi]

I can't wait for a mad Dev to make an X-treme Express successor.

[@guardduck987]

Hands down, Railroad Tycoon 2 is the best tycoon-like traingame ever

[@lsvlsv20]

I think you might have missed "Trans-Siberian Railway Simulator" :)

[@G_de_Coligny]

I would soo love to have a crossover train extension for European Truck Simulator…

[@cameronbrownlee308]

That first game is kinda similar to rail of war a online computer game that was out some years back I used to play

[@headoflettuce5422]

you guys have some gret F'n trains here in 2024

[@kodachromerailroadvideos6571]

Trainz is a W

[@MrDrury27]

For me it's Trans-Siberian Railway Sim

[@boalston2484]

Any of you guys remember rails of war? First game is that games older brother.

[@actionsam7878]

So for the longest time I've wanted a train game thats more than a simulator or a puzzle game or a tycoon game. I want a train racing game that also has an adventure mode. Something thats a lot like the Disney Pixar Cars games, but with something like Thomas and Friends. A game featuring Thomas' expansive roster of characters where you can race around the shows famous locations and then have an adventure mode where you explore the island and do missions. Ambitious? Yes. Impossible? No, i think it can be done. Alternative a general train racing game would also be great and I don't know why it hasn't been attempted.

[@REXXltm14]

SRRD reminds me of the old youdagames game called rail of war

[@Curt_Randall]

I just want to relax and build virtual train sets, just I did with model trains sets when I was a kid. I don't want to do any of the tycoon, resource and money management, or anything that resembles administration work. Aren't there any good trains sims like that?

[@ThatRandomGamer_Main]

The first one kinda reminds me of a flash game.

[@41-4E-4F-4E]

Art of The Rail seems like Mashinky?

[@nahjustaverage]

May I recommend Derail Valley or Rail Nation

[@panzerjagertigerporsche]

Hey, one game you forgot about is Century of Steam, a game that is supposed to release sometime this year and it's developer is Studio 346, Inc. who were former members of the dev team for Railroads Online. Studio 346 is headed by Mark of the Colorado Railroad Museum based in Golden Colorado, Mark is more commonly known as the KZbinr "Hyce." Century of Steam is supposed to be an interactive railroading game that has "historical equipment built between 1869 and 1969" so you can have an accurate narrow guage railroading experience across the landscapes of North America.

[@insomniacbritgaming1632]

and isn't released yet

[@Cabooseguy]

I am not sure where you heard it will release this year, as there is currently no release date announced.

[@Moodytr89]

One that should be on the list: Century of steam.

[@thesecretmember5448]

i think Century of Steam may come out this year too

[@Neuzahnstein]

KZbin algorithm knows me very well

[@galhorblack795]

try factorio.... even if the trains arent the main part of this game it s a huge part of the game.

[@nicowolters8959]

I played Railroader and It runs pretty good for an early Acces game. Even in Multiplayer it runs smooth and my friends didn't lag like in Railroads Online! I like the game. And they have in fact released it in Early acces one week before the date they said they will release.

[@Dodge_RAM_1500_fan]

You are 100% about that

[@AvEtheDJ]

I am wondering why none of you youtubers mention "Mashinky". Which are far better than those 12 games here...

[@GamerZakh]

You can just call me Zakh, not all KZbinrs are the same haha. I did list Mashinky, as far back as 2017 and for years into 2021: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z3XNap-QZdBlg5o I don't know about other creators, but I don't list it anymore because it's been in early access for over half a decade. 6 years now. And on Steam it still says it's looking to fully release in '2022'. Basically it's now a 'perpetual early access' title which I don't include as an 'upcoming' game anymore.

[@AvEtheDJ]

@@GamerZakh ok. Then I am sorry. Mashinky is still in development, basically I would call it "released game". Actually, it is better to keep it under development instead of release it as "full beta" as many games are these days.

[@elgreco75]

I tried playing Sweet Transit, I would describe it as more of a Factorio clone with trains and a sprinkle of City buildings. It's very hard to learn and seems tedious. I returned before I played for 2 hours.

[@TheExileFox]

Frostrain seem a lot like Bounty Train, but icey landscapes instead of the old western train era.

[@digimaks]

To be honest the old Railroad Tycoon 2 still looks better then number of those games with sharp 90 degree track curves. From all those mentioned - I think Steel Republic and Railroad corporration 2 seems the most promising projects. The train mechanic seems very interesting and unique. However I'm afraid when people being lazy today - will find it too complicated and not bother learning how to play this game. But seing developers putting allot of work into it, I wish their game do get popular among players.

[@SimCityEA1989]

I Like Trains

[@supertrains156.66]

Trainsimworld and train ststion2 is nice

[@ProtonTheProtogen]

No Century Of Steam?

[@theworkshopwhisperer.5902]

Anyone else thinking steel republic rail defender is kind of a spiritual successor to an old flash game called rails of war?

[@BoostedB16A90]

How is run 8 not on here

[@pokemonmasterhindi1470]

Transport fever 2 is best

[@wutt5176]

Rail Route and Simrail

[@GamerZakh]

I was avoiding simulators for the most part in this list, but I included more train simulators in my simulation list. I didn't include Rail Route because that felt less about trains and more about maps and the track specifically, but of course you can feel different about that.

[@wutt5176]

@@GamerZakh valid reasons, have a nice day

[@tigartar]

Im put off from trail valley world not because of the graphics but because of a lack of signals A lot of rail based games that are coming out lately have either really weird mechanics that players have to juggle like limited pieces or many different currencies or limit how many stations per industry or just outright no signals :( Some interesting games to look forward to and try out but not sure if they will be enjoyable in the long term :(

[@zacharybecker8228]

Ive been waiting for train traffic manager a while cus its on some of the consoles but id rather get it on steam

[@eddiejunks]

Run8? Where is it?

[@SAS1122334455]

7 added to wl, thank you!

[@GamerZakh]

Glad you found some new ones!

[@jinxclaessen1544]

how is there only 1 game about actually driving the train...

[@Frisco1355]

Not out, but on the horizon: Century of Steam.

[@nelsonmouatvergara]

Train 🚂 🚂🚂🚂🚂❤❤❤❤❤

[@XMPhoto]

I'm just begging for a Transport Fever 3 😂

[@GamerZakh]

It seems the final update for Transport Fever 2 is on the way this year, so they might announce something after that.

[@BingoSmith-oe1uy]

No mention of Voxel Tycoon? - which does seem stuck in early access

[@GamerZakh]

I listed Voxel Tycoon for years. Generally I have a 3-4 year cutoff date for early access games depending on the video and game. Otherwise the lists end up pretty much the same every year and new games get covered by games that have been there forever.

[@jefferyblake6321]

Derail Valley is still the best IMO but I am expecting Century of Steam to be good. I would like Railroader if you actually had to operate the trains.

[@scottish785]

this is another that Hyce has put out that he and a group are working on and slowing revealing.Not sure when it will come out but it's on the radar! Just search the below to get his reveal video. It's a game sort of similar to Railroads Online We've been secretly making our own TRAIN GAME for OVER A YEAR!

[@ShyGuyXXL]

I see there are a lot simulators and tycoon-y games. Not necessarily my cup of tea. Does anyone know a game that is in first person, where you go on adventure driving your steam engine down a long track? (...which preferably isn't Choo Choo Charles?)

[@Breakvan.]

My laptop can’t run Trainz: a new era!