Preview: Train Sim World 6 Finally Goes Fully Global in Its Sixth Iteration 1
Image: Push Square

One of the biggest complaints we’ve had with Train Sim World since its inception is that its definition of the globe has largely focused on the UK, Germany, and USA.

While we appreciate these are probably the biggest markets for the game, we’ve always been eager for the franchise to live up to its namesake.

To give it some credit, the series has stepped outside of the three aforementioned countries: there was the fan favourite LGV Méditerranée a few years ago, which offered idyllic ride between Avignon and Marseille. And the Arosalinie in Switzerland is another worth noting, with its snowy tundras and winding mountainside tracks.

But the post-launch plan for Train Sim World 6 is filled with firsts: the long-awaited Tadami Line – first announced an eternity ago for Train Sim World 4 – is finally almost finished, with cherry blossoms lining the route and bringing something truly different to the series.

There’s also word that upcoming expansions will go to Portugal and Czechia, adding a trio of new countries to the title, and bringing some much-needed variety to the franchise. Routes will include Lisbon to Setubal and Liberec Stara to Paka respectively, complete with associated locos.

The roadmap is arguably the most exciting aspect of Dovetail’s latest game, as Train Sim World 6 isn’t really changing a lot to the core experience.

The game’s due out officially on 30th September, but there’ll be Early Access available from 25th September for those who pod out extra on Deluxe Edition (£64.99/$79.99) or seriously pricey Special Edition (£104.99/$119.99).

The flagship features include a toggleable faults system and platform announcements – two additions which add to the release’s replayability and immersion respectively, but hardly ground-breaking changes to the core game.

Here’s the official information from the press release:

“This year, players are being told to ‘Expect the Unexpected’ with a key new feature being the introduction of toggleable random events and train faults to ensure no two services ever feel the same. From signal delays to speed restrictions, players must stay alert to overcome unpredictable challenges. The game will guide players through resolving these unpredictable events, to get back under way and on to their destination.”

We asked Dovetail whether it felt it was adding enough, and the team explained that as it’ll be offering a free Starter Pack at launch, everyone who owns prior DLC will be able to upgrade for free. Therefore, even if you don’t choose to purchase any of the new routes, you can enjoy the new client and wait for one of the aforementioned DLC packs to arrive.

There are a trio of new routes available if you want them, though.

The Standard Edition (£49.99/$49.99) includes the Morristown Line, running from New York through to Dover in New Jersey. If you plump up for the Deluxe Edition you’ll also get the striking NJ Transit ALP-45P

Then there’s two major route expansions: Dresden will run to Leipzig and one of the largest railway stations in Europe, while Plymouth to Exeter is getting an expansion to include Paignton Branch Line and newly opened Marsh Barton Station. The Deluxe Edition also adds the CrossCountry Voyager and BR 294.

Frankly, there’s a humongous amount of information to unpack here, so we’re going to lean on the developer’s infographics to communicate exactly what each edition includes:

Preview: Train Sim World 6 Finally Goes Fully Global in Its Sixth Iteration 7
Preview: Train Sim World 6 Finally Goes Fully Global in Its Sixth Iteration 5
Preview: Train Sim World 6 Finally Goes Fully Global in Its Sixth Iteration 6

We spent a little time playing Train Sim World 6 on the new Paignton Branch Line and it felt very familiar, which is to be expected of an iterative sequel like this. As we told the team, though, we reckon its approach to scenery has massively improved – and its onboarding and overall console controls has really improved over the years as well.

We think the “story” of Train Sim World 6 will be defined by these hotly anticipated new routes: the Tadami Line is going to be a milestone moment for the franchise as a whole, and we hope it convinces the developer to do more in Japan and across Asia and the rest of the world in general.

How do you feel about Train Sim World 6? Which of the upcoming routes are you most looking forward to and why? What are your thoughts on the iterative nature of the base client? Roll out in the comments section below.