Train Sim World 2

Train Sim World 2 is a railway simulation by Dovetail Games. From the cab, you drive passenger and freight trains to timetable, observe signals and learn to operate various locomotives. The base game combines the Cologne–Aachen high-speed line, the London Bakerloo Line and the American Sand Patch Grade.

Tutorials, timetable services and custom scenarios offer different ways into everyday railway operations. The successor to Train Sim World 2020 is a standalone single-player game. Dovetail Live and the Creators Club add community features without offering a shared multiplayer journey.

Train Sim World 2 was released on Aug 20, 2020 for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Native versions for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S followed on Aug 19, 2021. Dovetail offered owners of the previous console versions a free upgrade within their platform.

Alongside the new console generation, the Rush Hour expansion was released. A major technical update moved the base game to Unreal Engine 4.26 and reworked controls, visuals and cab information.

Train Sim World 2 has five confirmed native platform versions: PC (Windows), PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. The first three came out in 2020, the technically adapted PS5 and Xbox Series versions in 2021. On PC, the game is sold through Steam and the Epic Games Store, among others.

The PS5 and Xbox Series versions are standalone native versions, not merely the older console version via backward compatibility. The upgrade, which was free at the time, applied within the same console family. Cross-platform license or progress transfer between PlayStation, Xbox and PC was not promised.

In the cab, the focus is on obeying signals, speed limits, stopping positions and timetables. Passenger service with frequent stops poses different demands than a long freight train on a mountain line. Braking, notches and the respective safety systems are part of the gameplay.

Prebuilt scenarios, timetable services and tutorials unlock the routes. In addition, players can use the Scenario Planner to combine their own departure points, destinations, stops and computer-controlled traffic. The optional "Off The Rails" mode loosens the usual vehicle-route combinations.

Numerous routes and locomotives were sold individually for Train Sim World 2. The Rush Hour expansion brought Boston Sprinter, Nahverkehr Dresden and London Commuter. Other packs add specific locomotives for existing routes.

With the Preserved Collection, owners of older expansions from Train Sim World 2020 could continue using many of them in the successor. Exceptions, according to Dovetail, include Northeast Corridor New York, Amtrak SW1000R and CSX GP40-2. Existing save games from Train Sim World 2020 were not carried over. Before buying, players should always check the game version supported by the specific package.

Steam lists as minimum requirements an Intel Core i5-4690 or AMD Ryzen 5 1500X, 8 GB RAM, a GeForce GTX 750 Ti or Radeon R9 270 with 2 GB graphics memory and 20 GB of free storage space. Recommended are a Core i7-4790 or Ryzen 7 1700 and a GTX 970 or RX 480 with 4 GB VRAM.

The original game description also lists older Windows versions. However, the current Steam client requires Windows 10 or later. Additionally installed routes and locomotives can increase storage requirements.

Cologne–Aachen high-speed line: Here, among others, the DB BR 406 ICE 3M and DB BR 442 Talent 2 are used. High speeds require precise acceleration, braking and track observation.

Bakerloo Line: The London Underground line with the 1972 Tube Stock is marked by many stations, short distances and frequent stops.

Sand Patch Grade: The American freight route over the Alleghenies offers long consists and locomotives such as the CSX AC4400CW, GP38-2 and SD40-2. Train weight and gradients shape the driving style here.

The in-house SimuGraph vehicle physics in Train Sim World 2 models adhesion between wheel and rail. Factors such as weather, gradient, train weight, notches and braking force interact. In snow and rain, a wheel can spin or slide when braking.

A heavily loaded train on Sand Patch Grade behaves differently from a light subway train on the Bakerloo Line. Correct use of tractive effort and targeted use of sanders are part of the simulation, not merely a graphical effect.

The Scenario Planner lets you create your own journey tasks with start and destination, desired stops, vehicles and additional AI trains. With Off The Rails you can try deliberately unusual combinations. The Livery Designer offers shapes, colors and layers to design locomotives and cars differently.

The Creators Club, added later, expands the design options with sharing and downloading other players' liveries and scenarios. These permanently usable tools set the simulation apart from a mere catalog of prebuilt route runs.