1
Squirrel's Pick Squirrel's PickThe best game on this page. If you only try one, try this.
FlightCity BuilderDriving
Strong Mods Strong ModsA deep, active modding scene extends it past its base content.
$29.99 ~73.5 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 83.3% of 11k
The Squirrel's verdictTransport Fever shares the core loop: lay track, route goods, grow towns, manage a rail-based economy. It adds trucks, ships, and planes to the mix, giving more transport variety than RE2's rail-only focus. The world itself stays static — no new factories, no resource depletion — trading RE2's late-game tech-tree bloat for a fixed, finished economic model. Median playtime sits at 73.5 hours, priced at $29.99, no co-op.
Not for you if you want an economy that keeps evolving late-game, since factories never appear and resources never run out here.
2
Hidden Gem Hidden GemLoved by the players who found it, but still under the radar. Budget Pick Budget PickThe best game here for the least money.
TransportationEconomyPolitics
$19.99 ~122 hr median co-op complexity: moderate 89.5% of 2k
The Squirrel's verdictBoth are track-laying management games about building rail networks, but NIMBY Rails swaps Railway Empire 2's historical campaign and warehouse logistics for a real-world global map where you design lines city to city and manage ticket pricing and passenger demand. Terrain doesn't affect construction here, so the challenge is network design and scheduling, not grade engineering.
Not for you if you want terrain to matter when laying track or need historical campaign structure instead of an open, self-directed real-world map.
3
Closest Match Closest MatchThe most similar game to the anchor, by what players say.
TrainsEconomyTransportation
Jank Tolerant Jank TolerantRough edges and bugs — rewarding if you don't mind them. Strong Mods Strong ModsA deep, active modding scene extends it past its base content.
$24.99 ~58.4 hr median co-op complexity: moderate 84.9% of 3k
The Squirrel's verdictToken-based progression is Mashinky's defining feature: most unlocks require global resources rather than money alone, adding a layer of systemic planning absent from Railway Empire 2. Track-laying is grid-based and granular. Built by a single developer, it has no campaign or scenario mode. Co-op is supported; median playtime is 58.4 hours at $24.99.
Not for you if you want a structured campaign or scenario mode rather than open-ended sandbox progression.
4
TrainsHistoricalTransportation
Strong Mods Strong ModsA deep, active modding scene extends it past its base content.
$35.99 ~28.6 hr median co-op complexity: moderate 73.5% of 1k
The Squirrel's verdictShares Railway Empire 2's track-laying focus and railway-tycoon economics, adding bonds and a labor-force layer with co-op support. The big difference: trains route themselves. There's no signal placement or junction control, so play shifts from managing traffic to building networks and reading markets. Maps stay static across playthroughs rather than varying like RE2's campaigns.
Not for you if you want direct control over signaling and train scheduling, or expect map variety instead of the same fixed layouts each playthrough.
5
Railroad Corporation 2
PC
TrainsEconomyHistorical
$39.99 ~32 hr median co-op complexity: moderate 71.6% of 384
The Squirrel's verdictSame core loop as Railway Empire 2: lay track, manage cargo routes, expand a rail network over a campaign. Railroad Corporation 2 adds signal priority systems and streamlined construction, plus co-op, at $39.99. Reviews report train pathing issues and no in-cab view. For players who want cheaper entry and multiplayer over visual polish.
Not for you if you want in-cab train views, polished campaign closure, or fewer reported train pathing bugs.
6
TrainsCity BuilderTransportation
Strong Mods Strong ModsA deep, active modding scene extends it past its base content.
$29.99 ~24.4 hr median no co-op complexity: heavy 68.1% of 1k
The Squirrel's verdictSweet Transit integrates city-building and worker logistics directly into its rail-hauling loop, so managing where people live and work is as central as laying track. A courier system handles short-haul transfers between facilities and stations. Multiple reviews flag unintuitive mechanics and weak in-game explanation. Priced at $29.99 with a 24.4-hour median playtime, it suits players who want town growth tied to their freight network.
Not for you if you want clear tutorials and explained systems rather than working out unintuitive mechanics through trial and error.
7
TrainsEconomyCity Builder
$19.99 ~33.6 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 64.5% of 4k
The Squirrel's verdictTrain Fever strips away Railway Empire 2's campaign missions, tech tree, and multi-continent scope to focus on a single-region transport sim built around track-laying and route management. Road vehicles exist but are widely reported as broken in late game, limiting reliable logistics to rail. At $19.99 with a Mixed rating and 33.6 median hours, it suits players who want a lighter rail-network builder without progression systems.
Not for you if you need campaign structure, deep tycoon economics, or functional road and truck logistics.
8
Open WorldTransportationTrains
$19.99 ~18.6 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 63.3% of 2k
The Squirrel's verdictTrain Life puts players in the cab of individual trains, with company-building and contract negotiation layered on top. That first-person driving role is the core activity, not map-level scheduling or track-laying strategy. Signalling and AI traffic are widely reported as broken. At $19.99 with a Mixed rating and 18.6 median hours, it fits players who want to operate trains rather than manage a rail empire.
Not for you if you want strategic map-view management and track-laying depth rather than driving individual trains.