Transport Fever 3 Mods: How to Install (No Workshop)

By Tobias Lindqvist · Updated October 1, 2026

How mods work in Transport Fever 3

Transport Fever 3 uses one mod system for every platform. The Mod Hub, built on mod.io, opens straight from the main menu and works the same on Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The official Curated Mods Program FAQ confirms that all TF3 mods, curated or not, are free to download.

Two things are different from Transport Fever 2:

• There is no Steam Workshop. The official FAQ says Workshop would split the modding community, since Epic, GOG and console players cannot use it. Urban Games chose a single cross-platform library instead. The fifth developer blog (July 2026) still called this “under consideration”, but the FAQ is the final word: Workshop is not in the game.
• TF2 mods do not work as they are. The Curated Mods Program FAQ says TF2 mods are not directly compatible; authors have to adapt them with the new tools.

You can also browse and manage your collection on the web at mod.io, and changes there apply to your in-game collection.

Method 1: install mods from the in-game Mod Hub

This is the recommended route on every platform.

1. From the main menu, open the Mod Hub.
2. Browse or search, open a mod and subscribe. The game downloads it and keeps it updated automatically.
3. Start a New Game, pick a climate and go to the Add Mods tab. Use the Activate buttons to switch on the mods you want for this map.
4. For an existing save, go to Load Game, open the save’s settings icon and change its mod list there, if the save allows it.

The fifth dev blog explains that every mod now has a fixed, unique mod ID. When you download a mod that needs another one, the missing dependency is detected and listed for you, so forgotten dependencies are far less common than in TF2.

The Mod Hub also stores savegames and maps. Developer UG-Sam suggests uploading a save as an unlisted item to move it between computers, since there is no Steam Cloud. Our save file location guide has the details.

Method 2: manual installation on PC and Mac

Urban Games kept manual installs for mods shared outside the hub, on PC and Mac only. Use the mods folder inside your userdata directory. The easiest way there is Settings, then Advanced, then Open User Data Folder.

Paths for Linux and macOS are in our save file location guide.

Do not drop files into the Mod Hub download folder (on Windows C:\Users\Public\mod.io\10640\mods). The official file locations page says the game manages that folder and you should not add, edit or remove anything there.

The wiki’s Mod Installation page has not been updated from Transport Fever 2 yet, so treat these TF2-era rules as a likely guide rather than confirmed TF3 behavior:

• Unpack the archive (.zip, .rar or .7z) so the mod has its own folder inside mods.
• The folder name follows the pattern author_modname_number, ending in a version number of 1 or higher. Without that number, TF2 did not see the mod.
• mod.lua must sit one level below mods. A doubled folder like mods/modname_1/modname_1/mod.lua will not load.

The four mods included with the game

Every copy ships with four built-in mods you can activate in the Add Mods tab, according to the Free Game page of the manual:

Deluxe Edition and pre-order content is switched on from the same tab. See our editions page for what those packs contain.

The Curated Mods Program

Some mods in the hub carry an official seal. The Curated Mods Program is Urban Games’ own selection of community mods that pass reviews for stability, visuals and presentation. Members get early game access, developer support and a financial grant. To apply, a modder needs at least 10 published mods, at least 100,000 total downloads, one standout mod and consistently strong ratings. Rejected applicants can reapply after six months.

All curated mods are free and available on every platform. The FAQ says “most” other mods are too. When a mod is uploaded, the fifth dev blog says an optimized console version is generated automatically.

Do mods disable achievements?

Urban Games has not published an official rule for this. In the comments under his “50+ tips” video, creator Flowengineer said mods that change game mechanics disable achievements, while purely visual mods do not. Treat that as one player’s observation until the wiki confirms it. Our achievements page lists all 41.

Fixing mod problems

• Load Game button greyed out. The manual says a mod used by that save is probably missing. Missing mods show a red triangle in the mod list.
• Removing a missing mod. Deactivate it in the save’s mod list and load. Objects from that mod may turn into placeholder cubes, which you can delete or replace. Removing script mods can corrupt a save, so keep a backup.
• Content not showing. Check that dependencies are active, read the mod’s own settings, and look in crash_dump/stdout.txt for models the game filtered out.
• Game slow after adding mods. Every model adds RAM use, and hundreds of mods can overwhelm slower PCs. Test without the newest mod. See our performance fix guide.

Mods on consoles

The Mod Hub is fully available on PS5 and Xbox. The official known issues page (October 1, 2026) notes one gap: PC savegames uploaded to the hub cannot yet be downloaded on consoles. Urban Games says that will be added after launch. More on our mods page.