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.
Your choice of equipment defines your damage output and playstyle. This guide ranks every major option, explains what makes each one strong, and tells you which builds they pair best with.
Equipment Rankings
| Equipment | Tier | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam locomotives | S | The first forty years of any free play map | The 1850s starting fleet, slow and low capacity but cheap to buy and cheap to run on short chains. |
| Diesel and electric locomotives | A | Trunk freight and intercity passenger lines | The 20th century upgrade with far higher speed and capacity, though electric stock needs catenary along the entire route. |
| Trams and buses | A | Growing a town before you need its cargo demand | Short range town vehicles that exist to drive residential growth through coverage rather than to turn a profit. |
| Trucks | B | Feeding stations and short hops between industries | The flexible last mile option, useful wherever a rail spur would cost more than the route can earn back. |
| Ships and aircraft | B | Island maps, coastal cargo and late game passenger volume | High capacity, high maintenance vehicles that cross water and long distances in a single hop. |
S-Tier: Steam locomotives
The 1850s starting fleet, slow and low capacity but cheap to buy and cheap to run on short chains.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | The first forty years of any free play map |
| Key Mechanic | Production chains from raw to goods |
| Recommended Build | Bulk rail freight |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Steam locomotives: Pairs naturally with Bulk rail freight thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Diesel and electric locomotives
The 20th century upgrade with far higher speed and capacity, though electric stock needs catenary along the entire route.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Trunk freight and intercity passenger lines |
| Key Mechanic | Line and frequency management |
| Recommended Build | Intercity passenger rail |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Diesel and electric locomotives: Pairs naturally with Intercity passenger rail thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Trams and buses
Short range town vehicles that exist to drive residential growth through coverage rather than to turn a profit.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Growing a town before you need its cargo demand |
| Key Mechanic | Rail signals and one way streets |
| Recommended Build | Urban bus and tram transit |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Trams and buses: Pairs naturally with Urban bus and tram transit thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Trucks
The flexible last mile option, useful wherever a rail spur would cost more than the route can earn back.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Feeding stations and short hops between industries |
| Key Mechanic | Town growth from transport coverage |
| Recommended Build | Sea freight and ports |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Trucks: Pairs naturally with Sea freight and ports thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Ships and aircraft
High capacity, high maintenance vehicles that cross water and long distances in a single hop.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Island maps, coastal cargo and late game passenger volume |
| Key Mechanic | Terrain editing and the map editor |
| Recommended Build | Air passenger and cargo |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Ships and aircraft: Pairs naturally with Air passenger and cargo thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
Equipment Progression Path
The order you should acquire equipment as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Europe vehicle region
- Diesel and electric locomotives → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Trams and buses → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Steam locomotives → Best-in-slot, aim for this by late game
- Upgrade to max → The power spike from max upgrades is enormous
Equipment Tips
- Always upgrade your primary equipment before diversifying. One strong option beats three mediocre ones.
- Match your equipment to your build's stat priorities for maximum scaling.
- 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.
- Check our tier list for how equipment rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
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 Walkthrough
- Transport Fever 2 Beginner's Guide
- Transport Fever 2 Tips & Tricks
- 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
Similar Games
If you enjoy Transport Fever 2, check out these related guides:
- Stardew Valley Weapons Guide: simulation game with similar mechanics
- Satisfactory Weapons Guide: simulation game with similar mechanics
- The Sims 4 Weapons Guide: simulation game with similar mechanics
