Transport Fever 3 vehicles: confirmed scope and comparison fields
Quick answer
Steam currently describes 275+ vehicles across trains, buses, trams, trucks, ships, aircraft and helicopters, spanning more than 125 years. Other official material has used a figure above 300, so the exact launch count remains unsettled. The useful pre-release decision is not the total—it is which attributes to compare for a route.
Compare a vehicle by the job
| Field | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Mode and infrastructure | Determines the network and terminal required |
| Era and availability | Limits when the vehicle can enter service |
| Cargo support | Rules a vehicle in or out for a freight route |
| Capacity and loading | Affects terminal dwell and throughput |
| Speed | Changes travel time and line interactions |
| Maintenance | Changes the operating-cost side of the route |
| Comfort | Matters for passenger service quality |
| Noise and pollution | Constrains placement near populated areas |
Vehicle database
The vehicle directory is organized around the fields players will need after release. Confirmed modes can be browsed now; individual names, prices and performance values will be added only when they can be checked in the released game or an official source.
| Mode | Confirmed scope | Detailed rows |
|---|---|---|
| Trains | Part of the announced 275+ vehicle scope | Awaiting release data |
| Buses and trucks | Road passenger and freight vehicles are confirmed | Awaiting release data |
| Trams and light rail | Passenger trams, cargo trams and light rail are confirmed | Awaiting release data |
| Ships | Water transport is confirmed | Awaiting release data |
| Aircraft and helicopters | Fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters are confirmed | Awaiting release data |
Each detailed entry will record availability year, mode, supported cargo or passenger role, capacity, speed, purchase price, maintenance, edition or DLC, game version and evidence. This keeps later comparison tables traceable instead of mixing announcement footage with final statistics.
Evidence labels
| Label | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Official | Explicitly stated by Urban Games, Steam or Paradox |
| In-game | Checked in a named release version |
| Conflicting | Official sources currently disagree |
| Unconfirmed | Not published strongly enough to present as fact |
Match the fleet to the corridor
Begin with the corridor, not the catalog. Identify whether the route is short, high-frequency, long-distance, terrain-limited or transfer-heavy. Then decide which attributes can change the result: capacity, speed, acceleration, cargo support, loading behavior, maintenance, emissions and access to the required infrastructure.
A fast vehicle may spend little time at top speed on a short route with frequent stops. A larger vehicle can reduce departures while creating longer waits or exceeding terminal throughput. A cheaper unit can cost more overall if extra vehicles, drivers or track slots are needed to move the same demand. Compare the complete service pattern rather than one stat.
Infrastructure fit matters as much as the vehicle. Helicopters, cargo trams and light rail create new choices, but they also require suitable terminals, paths and transfer arrangements. A mode is useful when it removes a geographic or network constraint, not simply because it is new.
Test candidates on the same line and observation period. Watch load factor, queue growth, travel time, operating balance and knock-on congestion. If demand is still changing, keep spare terminal room and avoid buying a fleet sized to one temporary peak. Exact winners will vary by route, era and game balance; the dependable method is to match the vehicle to the work.
Vehicle selection sequence
- Start with the route requirement: passenger or cargo, volume, distance and required mode.
- Remove vehicles that cannot carry the required cargo or use the available infrastructure.
- Compare capacity and loading behavior against terminal throughput.
- Check maintenance, noise and pollution before choosing the fastest option.
- Revisit the route when demand grows; the official overview says one plan will not work forever.
Confirmed additions to the series scope include helicopters, cargo trams and light rail systems. The Deluxe Edition separately names six bonus vehicles, including Concorde, the London Bus and the Hong Kong Tram; edition content should not be confused with the base fleet.
See the official game overview and vehicle trailer article for the announced scope. Exact statistics need the final game version, so no fastest-vehicle ranking is presented here.