Transport Fever 2 is Urban Games' transport simulator, on Steam since 11 December 2019, covering rail, road, water and air from 1850 into the near future. It ships over 200 real vehicles drawn from Europe, America and Asia, three terrain types and more than ten production chains. The campaign is 18 missions across three chapters, listed at over 20 hours.
This walkthrough takes you from your first session to endgame content. Each phase has specific goals, priorities, and milestones. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Progression Summary
| Phase | Area | Focus | Build | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Start | Europe vehicle region | Production chains from raw to goods basics | Intercity passenger rail | 1-2 hours |
| 2. Early | America vehicle region | Line and frequency management mastery | Intercity passenger rail | 3-5 hours |
| 3. Mid | Asia vehicle region | Rail signals and one way streets + gear | Bulk rail freight or Intercity passenger rail | 5-10 hours |
| 4. Late | Chapter I campaign, from 1850 | Build optimization | Bulk rail freight | 5-10 hours |
| 5. Endgame | Chapter III campaign, near future | Min-max | Bulk rail freight or Air passenger and cargo | Ongoing |
See our maps guide for detailed area breakdowns.
Phase 1: Getting Started (Europe vehicle region)
The European vehicle set, heavy on continental steam and electric stock, and the widest locomotive selection of the three regions.
Level/Difficulty: 1850 to near future Key Rewards: The broadest locomotive roster in the game
What to Do in Europe vehicle region
- Learn Production chains from raw to goods. An industry only produces while the whole chain moves, from raw material to factory to town. Spend your first session getting comfortable with this.
- Pick Intercity passenger rail as your starting build. See our builds guide for why.
- A cargo chain only pays when every link moves. If you deliver coal to a steel mill and never haul the steel away, storage fills and the mill halts, so build the output line before you celebrate the input line.
- Acquire your first equipment upgrade: Diesel and electric locomotives or whatever's available.
- Clear all main content before moving on.
Phase 1 Checklist
- Understand Production chains from raw to goods fundamentals
- Intercity passenger rail selected and functional
- Europe vehicle region main content cleared
- Ready for America vehicle region
Phase 2: Early Game (America vehicle region)
The American set, built around long freight consists and large road vehicles, and usually played on dry terrain.
Level/Difficulty: 1850 to near future Key Rewards: High capacity freight stock and long haul locomotives
What to Do in America vehicle region
- Work on Line and frequency management. Every line shows its vehicles, stops and frequency. This system becomes critical from here on.
- Farm for Diesel and electric locomotives if you haven't already. It's the key upgrade for this phase.
- Empty return runs are pure loss. Where the geography allows it, pair two cargoes so the same vehicle carries something in both directions.
- Complete all objectives before pushing to Asia vehicle region.
- Consider whether Bulk rail freight might suit your playstyle better than Intercity passenger rail.
Phase 2 Checklist
- Line and frequency management integrated into gameplay
- Diesel and electric locomotives acquired
- America vehicle region fully cleared
- Ready for Asia vehicle region
Phase 3: Mid Game (Asia vehicle region)
The Asian set, including high speed passenger rail, commonly paired with the tropical terrain option.
Level/Difficulty: 1850 to near future Key Rewards: High speed trains for late game trunk lines
What to Do in Asia vehicle region
- Master Rail signals and one way streets. Signals split track into blocks so several trains can share a route. This unlocks a new layer of gameplay.
- Start working toward Steam locomotives. It's the best equipment and becomes accessible around now.
- Terrain editing costs real money and gradients cost speed. Follow contour lines and build level track wherever the map lets you.
- This area is the main skill check. If you can clear it, you're ready for late game.
- Start investing in Town growth from transport coverage for the tactical depth you'll need going forward.
Phase 3 Checklist
- Rail signals and one way streets mastered
- Steam locomotives acquired or in progress
- Asia vehicle region fully cleared
- Ready for Chapter I campaign, from 1850
Phase 4: Late Game (Chapter I campaign, from 1850)
Six missions opening with Mining Miracle, covering the move from animal haulage to steam power across several regions.
Level/Difficulty: Missions 1 to 6, late 1800s Key Rewards: Medals for bonus objectives, plus the game's real cargo chain tutorial
What to Do in Chapter I campaign, from 1850
- Finalize your build. You should be running Bulk rail freight or Intercity passenger rail with optimized gear.
- Steam locomotives should be your primary. If you don't have it yet, prioritize getting it.
- Stations can hold more than one platform. If cargo piles up faster than you can load it, open the station's Configure panel and add a platform before you add another train.
- Terrain editing and the map editor optimization starts here. Small improvements compound into massive advantages.
- Farm this area for the resources needed to push into Chapter III campaign, near future.
Phase 4 Checklist
- Build fully optimized
- Steam locomotives upgraded to max
- Chapter I campaign, from 1850 fully cleared
- Ready for Chapter III campaign, near future
Phase 5: Endgame (Chapter III campaign, near future)
The final six missions, running from the second half of the 20th century into the near future with modern high speed rail and air networks.
Level/Difficulty: Missions 13 to 18 Key Rewards: Medals and the campaign's largest, densest maps
What to Do in Chapter III campaign, near future
- Chapter III campaign, near future tests everything. Come prepared with your best build and gear.
- Public transport is the fastest town growth lever, and the bonus scales with how many destinations sit inside your bus line radius. Cover the whole town with short overlapping loops.
- The endgame loop: run Chapter III campaign, near future, optimize gear, push harder content.
- Experiment with Air passenger and cargo for a fresh take once you've mastered the standard builds.
- This is where Terrain editing and the map editor mastery separates good players from great ones. See our tips guide for advanced strategies.
Phase 5 Checklist
- Endgame content on farm
- Best-in-slot gear acquired
- Chapter III campaign, near future fully cleared
- Ready for challenge content
Common Progression Mistakes
- Building a long, complicated first line. A short coal to steel loop pays faster and teaches the chain rules without draining the opening budget.
- Terraforming straight through hills instead of following contours, which burns your starting capital before a single train runs.
- Skipping signals on shared track, which reduces a busy main line to a single train shuttle.
- Replacing the whole fleet the moment a new locomotive unlocks, without checking maintenance cost against what the route actually earns.
- Assuming towns grow on their own. They stall without transport coverage and without the goods their commercial zones are asking for.
Key Tips for Smooth Progression
- A cargo chain only pays when every link moves. If you deliver coal to a steel mill and never haul the steel away, storage fills and the mill halts, so build the output line before you celebrate the input line.
- Empty return runs are pure loss. Where the geography allows it, pair two cargoes so the same vehicle carries something in both directions.
- Terrain editing costs real money and gradients cost speed. Follow contour lines and build level track wherever the map lets you.
- Stations can hold more than one platform. If cargo piles up faster than you can load it, open the station's Configure panel and add a platform before you add another train.
- Public transport is the fastest town growth lever, and the bonus scales with how many destinations sit inside your bus line radius. Cover the whole town with short overlapping loops.
For more advanced strategies, see our tips & tricks guide.
More Transport Fever 2 Guides
- Transport Fever 2 Transport Fever 2 Overview
- Transport Fever 2 Best Builds
- Transport Fever 2 Tier List
- Transport Fever 2 Beginner's Guide
- Transport Fever 2 Tips & Tricks
- Transport Fever 2 Weapons Guide
- Transport Fever 2 Combat Guide
- Transport Fever 2 Boss Guide
- Transport Fever 2 Maps & Locations
- Transport Fever 2 Crafting Guide
- Transport Fever 2 Classes & Characters
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