Transport Fever 3 vs 2: Every Major Difference

By Tobias Lindqvist · Updated October 1, 2026

Transport Fever 3 vs 2 at a glance

Transport Fever 3 is a full sequel from Urban Games, launched on September 29, 2026, almost seven years after Transport Fever 2 (December 11, 2019). TF3 is published by Paradox Interactive, while TF2’s Steam page lists Good Shepherd Entertainment; the IP stays with Urban Games. The table pulls from the Steam store data for both games and the official TF3 site and FAQ, as of October 1, 2026.

Official vehicle counts for TF3 vary. The Steam description and the game page say “275+”, the FAQ and Editions page say “more than 300”, and the October 2025 vehicle trailer said “over 270”. All three come from Urban Games.

System requirements compared

TF3 asks for far more hardware. The figures below are the Steam store’s own requirement lists for each game.

TF2’s recommended GPU is roughly TF3’s minimum. On Mac, TF3 runs only on Apple Silicon (M2 Pro or better). See the full breakdown on our PC requirements page.

What is new in Transport Fever 3

A fourth climate. Temperate, Dry and Tropical return, joined by Subarctic with fjords, swamps and large mountains. The first developer blog says each climate has its own economy, and the manual notes some chains only appear in one climate, such as the paper mill and printing press in Subarctic. More on our climates page.

Warehouses and a rebuilt cargo system. Cargo no longer has a fixed destination when it is made, and stations no longer store it. Warehouses take over that role, and specialized versions speed up loading and pause the delivery timer. That timer is new too: late cargo hurts a town’s Delivery rating. Our warehouses guide explains the setup.

New vehicle types. Helicopters carry passengers and cargo. Cargo trams pull wagons like a train, tram track can run underground, and tram-trains can switch onto regular railway lines.

Towns with levels. Towns now grow through 18 levels, from a hamlet of under 100 people to a metropolis, by earning experience from your deliveries. Six ratings (Reputation, Satisfaction, Delivery, Traffic, Noise, Pollution) can slow that growth.

A tycoon layer. Your company climbs ranks from Junior to Tycoon, with a headquarters, perks and 10 landmarks to unlock. There is also a loan system and contract-style subsidies.

Infrastructure tools. Free-angle junctions, lane control, traffic light phases, line priorities and improved train path reservation are all listed in the third and fifth dev blogs. The old TF2 drag-and-confirm build mode is still available in Advanced settings.

Weather and time. Dynamic weather and a day-night cycle, which can follow your real local time.

What TF3 drops or changes

The 1850s are gone. Free games start between 1900 and 2020, in ten-year steps. Some Steam reviewers called the missing 1850 to 1899 era a real loss.

Fewer locomotives at launch. Players noticed that a large share of TF2’s locomotives are missing. Developer UG-Sam replied on the Steam forum that the team is still converting TF2 locomotives for the mod list, and that most vehicles from the previous game “will be available over time”.

No Steam Workshop. The official FAQ says Workshop would split the community, so all mods go through one mod.io browser shared by Steam, Epic, GOG, PlayStation and Xbox players. Manual install still works on PC and Mac. Details are in our mod install guide.

TF2 mods do not carry over directly. The Curated Mods Program FAQ says authors have to adapt them first.

Consoles and platforms

TF3 launched on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on the same day as PC, and also came to GOG for the first time. Console prices are $59.99 standard and $74.99 Deluxe. Consoles are limited to Small, Medium and Large maps. See our console page.

Price, editions and the loyalty discount

If you own TF2 on the same platform and account, the official FAQ gives 10% off the Standard or Deluxe Edition until 14 days after release. Counting from September 29, that window should close around October 13, 2026. The Deluxe Upgrade DLC is $19.99 on Steam. Compare what each edition includes on our editions page.

How players are taking the change

On October 1, two days after launch, TF3 had 2,740 Steam reviews with 69.5% positive (Mixed). English-language reviews alone were 72.3% positive (Mostly Positive). The most-replied thread on the Steam forum was titled “Honestly.. I prefer TPF2.” Common complaints in reviews are the user interface, performance, the missing Workshop and the shorter vehicle roster. Even some negative reviews concede that the gameplay itself is improved.

Should you switch? If your PC meets the AVX2 and SSD requirements and you want the new cargo and town systems, TF3 is the deeper game. If you depend on a large Workshop mod collection or the pre-1900 era, TF2 still covers that better for now.