41 Cents per Kilometre: Is Train Sim World’s First Japanese Route Worth Its Price?

On July 30, 2026, a completely new chapter begins for Train Sim World. With the Tadami Line, a regular route in the series will head to Japan and Asia for the first time. The add-on is being developed by Union Workshop. For €35.99, we receive the connection from Aizu-Wakamatsu to Tadami, the classic KiHa 40 diesel railcar and, for the first time, Japanese signals as well as the country’s ATS safety system.

The price therefore sits at the familiar level of many full Train Sim World routes. Add-ons such as the Frankenbahn, Blackpool Branches and the MBTA connection between Boston and Worcester were or are also offered for €35.99. The Tadami Line is therefore not noticeably more expensive than other major route packages in the series. However, that certainly does not make it cheap.

If we divide the price by the confirmed route length of 88 kilometres, we pay around 41 cents per kilometre. At first, that figure sounds comparatively reasonable. Train Sim World in particular has previously offered significantly shorter routes for the same or only a slightly lower price. Nevertheless, a pure calculation based on kilometres cannot fully capture the actual value of an add-on. A long but empty section of track can provide less gameplay value than a short, densely operated railway junction.

The Tadami Line’s 88 kilometres include a total of 28 detailed stations. If they were distributed evenly, there would be a stop approximately every 3.3 kilometres. In reality, the single-track route runs through rural regions, river valleys, forested mountains and smaller Japanese towns. Dovetail also mentions distinctive bridges, dams, traditional architecture, spring cherry blossoms and snow-covered winter landscapes. The route therefore focuses less on high speed or dense metropolitan traffic and more on scenery, atmosphere and tranquil regional operations.

The most important counterargument concerns the vehicle selection. Fundamentally, only the KiHa 40 is included. The classic diesel railcar from the 1970s appears in three liveries and can operate in different formations, but a second completely independent train has not been announced. Anyone expecting several different vehicles or varied mixed operations for €35.99 may therefore view the package critically.

However, the KiHa 40 is not intended to be a simple accessory to the route. Dovetail and Union Workshop promise a detailed cab, authentic performance, realistic suspension and the new Japanese signalling and safety systems. Because Train Sim World has never featured a Japanese route before, we will not only have to learn a new vehicle but also understand a previously unfamiliar operating environment. That novelty cannot be meaningfully expressed in kilometres of track.

The package includes five scenarios covering different sections of the route and different seasons. It also includes an authentic timetable, Journey Mode, route tasks, Free Roam and support for Livery Designer, Formation Designer and Scenario Planner. Regular services are partly divided into shorter sections so that we do not always have to complete a very long journey in a single sitting.

However, the figure of five scenarios does not appear particularly generous at first. This becomes even more noticeable when we compare the new route with its own past. Union Workshop already released the Tadami Line for Train Simulator Classic in July 2020. That version also included 88 kilometres, 28 stations, the KiHa 40 in three liveries and eight career scenarios. The geographical foundation, the basic vehicle selection and even many of the key figures are therefore by no means completely new.

However, that does not automatically mean that an old product is simply being sold again. The Train Sim World version is being developed for a different technical platform. We can explore stations and the surrounding environment on foot, use Free Roam, create our own formations and operate a complete timetable. It also includes modern vehicle physics through SimuGraph, more detailed environments and a much stronger presentation of different seasons. Train Simulator Classic and Train Sim World depict the same real route, but they do not provide the same gameplay experience.

Nevertheless, the comparison matters. For players who own the old Tadami Line add-on, the main attraction is not the discovery of a completely unknown route. Instead, they are paying for a technically more modern reinterpretation. Whether that is worth €35.99 will therefore depend particularly on the size of the visible quality leap, how lively the timetable feels and how thoroughly the KiHa 40 has been recreated.

The choice of time period is also interesting. The route is set before the severe rainfall of 2011, which interrupted the section between Aizu-Kawaguchi and Tadami for more than a decade. This allows the add-on to depict the complete connection to Tadami instead of representing the replacement bus service or a shortened railway route. Historical authenticity is therefore deliberately combined with the most complete possible gameplay experience.

On paper, there is a great deal in favour of the Tadami Line. Eighty-eight kilometres represent a solid amount of content for a Train Sim World add-on. Twenty-eight stations, five scenarios, an authentic timetable, multiple seasons and Japanese railway technology for the first time create more individuality than another European or North American route based on a familiar formula. The Japanese debut is not merely a new backdrop, but introduces different signals, a different safety system, different architecture and a noticeably different operating character.

The high absolute price, the restriction to one basic vehicle type and the fact that Union Workshop has already recreated the same connection for Train Simulator Classic all count against the package. Five scenarios also initially appear limited compared with the eight scenarios in the older version. The new timetable mode could compensate for that difference, but it will need to offer enough varied and believable services.

The 41 cents per kilometre therefore provide a strong headline, but not a final verdict. According to Train Sim World’s usual standards, the price is not unusual. Within this product ecosystem, the Tadami Line even appears comparatively substantial. Anyone comparing €35.99 with a complete standalone game, however, will continue to regard the price as high.

Our preliminary conclusion is therefore divided: for fans of Japanese railways, the KiHa 40 and tranquil scenic routes, the Tadami Line could become one of the most distinctive TSW add-ons in a long time. Anyone primarily expecting the greatest possible number of vehicles, scenarios and completely new geographical content per euro should instead wait for reviews, complete timetable details and initial player experiences.

Whether the route is actually worth its price will ultimately not be decided by a calculator. What matters is whether the 88 kilometres feel like a living Japanese railway world – or merely like a familiar Train Simulator route in more modern packaging.