Train Sim World 5 Checks Tickets on PS5, PS4 from 17th September

Update: We didn’t have access to the livestream prior to publishing this article, which was embargoed, but we’ve just watched through it and have a few additional details to share. For starters, there’ll be a Starter Pack available to download for free for 30 days following Train Sim World 5’s launch. This will basically allow you to import any existing routes or locos you’ve purchased in past versions of the game, so you can take advantage of all the new features in the latest release.

West Coast Mainline will cover the area between London Euston and Milton Keynes, but you won’t be able to go all the way to Tamworth, Atherstone, et al. It looks like the northern part of the route is coming later, with the addition of Preston to Carlisle. If you want to drive the Avanti West Coast Class 390 Pendolino, you’ll need to buy the Deluxe Edition of the game for that. You’ll also get the Flixtrain BR193 Vectron and the Cajon Pass.

For more information on all of the new content, as well as bundles and more, check out the official website for a full breakdown on all the minutia.

Original Article: Train Sim World will continue its annual release cadence with the launch of Train Sim World 5 on PS5 and PS4 from 17th September. The sequel, announced during a livestream hosted by developer Dovetail, will include three new routes – including the hotly anticipated West Coast Mainline, which will add London Euston to the title for the first time. It’ll be flanked by Germany’s Frankfurt and California’s San Bernardino Line.

While we’re still not convinced yearly sequels is the right approach for this franchise, the developer is promising new features in this version, including: Route Hopping, Fast Travel, and Conductor Mode. The latter is something the studio has been trialling for a while, and it’ll allow you to check tickets and manage doors like a true train guard. More routes are also on the way, including ones set in Wales and the Netherlands.

“We’re answering the call of players with some of their most requested content, including iconic UK, European, and American routes and trains,” explained executive producer Matt Peddlesden. “With exciting new features like Conductor Mode, Route Hopping, Fast Travel, and a much-requested overhaul to the 2D Live Map, this is a substantial new edition of Train Sim World!”

Elsewhere, while we’ve always wanted a virtual reality version of Train Sim World, we’re a little disappointed to learn that Train Sim World VR: New York will be skipping PSVR2 and launching exclusively on Meta Quest. This will be a slimmed down version of the game, focusing entirely on New York’s Harlem Line, although you’ll be able to experience it in complete immersion. “Intuitive controls, brand-new game mechanics, and a stylish New York apartment space to explore add a new and totally different dimension to the Train Sim World series,” the press release teases.

One other detail worth noting is that Train Sim World is coming to Roblox, as part of a collaboration with Talewind which Dovetail hopes will introduce the series to a younger audience. “Players will be able to build their stations from the ground up, manage their economy, meet new AI characters, play with their friends, explore a vast and diverse world, and of course, drive trains,” the blurb reads. “The interactive and creative elements of Roblox will allow players to customize their train stations, strategise economic management, and immerse themselves in a lively, ever-evolving environment.”

It’s an interesting example of how developers are turning to platforms like Roblox to expose their intellectual property to entirely new audiences.