Compare the best free train simulator games for PC, including Open Rails and openBVE, with honest limits, setup fixes and the right choice for you.
The best free train simulator for PC is Open Rails, especially if you want full routes, realistic physics and access to the Microsoft Train Simulator content ecosystem. openBVE is better for cab-focused metro driving, while Loksim3D and MaSzyna suit players who value detailed signalling and railway procedures over polished presentation.
Which free train simulator should you choose?
Open Rails is the best all-round choice, but each free simulator serves a different type of railway enthusiast.
| Simulator | Best for | What is free | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Rails | Mainline passenger, freight and steam operations | The simulation engine, plus compatible freeware routes and rolling stock | Some routes require original MSTS files or additional stock |
| openBVE | Metro, suburban and cab-focused driving | The engine and separately distributed train and route packages | Content quality and installation methods vary |
| Loksim3D | German signalling, timetables and operating procedures | The simulator and compatible freeware content | Documentation and content are strongly German-oriented |
| MaSzyna | Polish locomotives, braking systems and mainline operations | The core simulator and content released for it | Controls are demanding and English localisation can vary |
Choose Open Rails for variety and longer routes. Pick openBVE if you mainly want metro or commuter trains viewed from the driving cab. Loksim3D and MaSzyna reward an interest in local signalling rules, but they have steeper learning curves.
None offers the polished career structure and unified content library associated with a modern commercial game. Our comparison of the strongest PC train simulators explains when paying for a more integrated platform makes sense.
Are these train simulators completely free?
The core simulators listed above can be used without buying a subscription or base game, but free does not always mean that every route and train is included.
Open Rails is primarily an engine, while openBVE also relies heavily on separately packaged routes and rolling stock. Before downloading a route, check whether it is self-contained or requires another route, specific vehicles, original Microsoft Train Simulator assets or commercial content.
A demo, temporary promotion or free starter package should not be confused with a permanently free train simulator. Our train simulator buying and comparison guidance separates genuinely free choices from paid platforms with optional downloads.
Is Microsoft Train Simulator free?
Microsoft Train Simulator is not legal freeware merely because it is an old program.
If you own a legitimate copy, Open Rails can use much of its content and often provides a more practical way to run it on a newer PC. Follow our compatibility advice for running MSTS on modern Windows rather than downloading an unauthorised repack.
Train Simulator Classic is also a paid base simulator. Free routes and scenarios for it may still depend on commercial route or locomotive packs; existing owners can use our checks for safe, compatible freeware add-ons to avoid missing-dependency errors.
Can Open Rails run without Microsoft Train Simulator?
Open Rails can run without an MSTS installation when the selected route supplies every required track file, shape, texture, sound, consist and vehicle.
The confusion comes from compatibility: Open Rails understands the MSTS content structure, but it cannot legally include Microsoft's original assets. A route may therefore advertise Open Rails support while still requiring the default MSTS routes or files from another package.
For MSTS-format content, the chosen content root normally exposes folders such as GLOBAL, ROUTES and TRAINS. Pointing Open Rails at an empty directory, or at a folder one level above or below the actual content root, is a common reason no routes appear.
What usually goes wrong during installation?
Most failures come from missing dependencies or incorrect folder nesting rather than inadequate PC hardware.
- The route appears but its activity will not load: a required locomotive, consist or wagon is missing. Check the route documentation for its complete stock list.
- No routes appear: the simulator has been pointed at the wrong content directory, or the archive created an extra nested folder during extraction.
- Track, scenery or cab elements are invisible: the route references textures, shapes or cab files from another package.
- The train loads but will not move: release the train brake, select the correct direction and check whether the locomotive requires a master key, pantograph, doors or safety system to be set.
- An openBVE package fails after manual extraction: preserve its supplied folder structure and use its package installer where one is provided. Mixing files from different releases often breaks sounds and object references.
Install the simulator first and confirm that it launches before adding content. Then add one self-contained route, test its supplied train and only afterwards expand the installation. This makes a missing dependency much easier to identify.
Which free train simulator is best for an older PC?
Open Rails and openBVE are usually the safest starting points for an older Windows PC because they can run simpler legacy routes without the graphical load of a modern commercial simulator.
Performance still depends on the route. Dense scenery, long viewing distances, shadows, high-resolution textures and large consists can make a lightweight engine demanding. Begin with a modest route, reduce shadows and viewing distance, and test at the monitor's normal resolution before installing large content packs.
For most beginners, we would install Open Rails first for mainline driving or openBVE for metros. Both are genuinely useful simulations rather than short demos, provided you choose complete content packages and read their dependency notes before installing them.