This is the home of OpenBVE, a license-free, open source, free of charge train driving simulator.

Screenshots

This program includes detailed per-car simulation of the brake systems, friction, air resistance, toppling and more. In 3D cabs, the driving experience is augmented with forces that shake your simulated body upon acceleration and braking, as well as in curves. Besides that, OpenBVE features a 3D positional sound system best enjoyed with surround speakers, train exteriors and timetables for the current run. Finally, via the main menu, routes and trains be easily selected to start a new session, the controls can be configured to keyboard or joystick devices, and a variety of options can be selected.

Compared to other simulators of the genre, especially compared to commercial games, OpenBVE has its main focus on realism, not necessarily on user-friendliness. You should be willing to study operational manuals for the routes and trains you want to drive, and will in many cases not get along by just memorizing a few keystrokes. If you can identify with this focus, OpenBVE might be the right simulator for you.

Latest Stable Release:

1.10.1.1 Stable (2024-05-18)

Current News & Updates:

The OpenBVE Project

Version 1.5.3.6

My apologies- This is the second release in two days to fix glitches. Adding colored vertices (Used in certain .X files and MSTS shapes) has proved a little more troublesome than first expected- There are a lot of places where changing a fundamental type like this can have unexpected consequences!

Hopefully this will deal with the last of them, but don’t hesitate to get in touch if something is still broken……

Significant Changes:

  • Fix: Actually make the Object Viewer fix from 1.5.3.5 work correctly….
  • Fix: Issue in certain train panels.
The OpenBVE Project

Version 1.5.3.5

Significant Changes:

  • Fix: An issue with Object Viewer and the TextureShiftFunction, introduced with 1.5.3.4
  • Fix: Allow the EB key to be used with single-handle trains.
  • Change: Update ca-ES translation (Thanks MarcRiera!)
  • Change: Add current game-time to F10
  • New: Add plugin variable debug display / key trigger. (CTRL+F10 for new installs)

Content Specific Fixes:

  • Hacks: Allow the final frame for a DigitalNumber to clip outside the texture bounds. (Fixes LT_C69_77 brake handle)
The OpenBVE Project

Version 1.5.3.4

Significant Changes:

  • New: Allow a delay value to be set for each power / brake notch in Train.dat
  • New: Parser for the MSTS Shape (.s) format
  • New: Support the MeshVertexColors template in .x files
  • New: Basic Kiosk mode
  • Change: Bump SharpCompress version
  • Change: Use the RailDriver control names when configuring controls
  • Change: The messages presented when passing a red signal whilst overspeed are now more consistant
  • Change: Better error validation for the BrakeControl parameters in Train.dat
  • Fix: Issue with BVE4 signals with no glow textures declared
  • Fix: A disposed train could re-appear in the final block if the curve radius was < 300m
  • Fix: Objects for disposed AI trains not hidden properly in some cases

Content Specific Fixes:

  • Hacks: The Midland Suburban line extracts it’s objects into an incorrect place
  • Hacks: Treat (C) in a route comment as the copyright symbol
  • Hacks: Attempt to detect usages of the BVE2 signal textures & provide an alternative
The OpenBVE Project

Version 1.5.3.3

Significant Changes:

  • Update pl-PL translation. (Thanks piotrulos)
  • New: DDS texture loader plugin.
  • New: Object Viewer now uses the texture loader plugins.
  • New: Added the EbHandleBehaviour parameter to Train.dat & Train Editor.
  • Change: Train.dat now contains the OpenBVE version in it’s header.
  • Change: Tightened up the number parsing in certain cases.
  • Change: Improvements to RailDriver handling.
  • Change: Handle two more variants of X formatted objects.
  • Fix: Glitches with AI train exteriors.
  • Fix: Erroneous error message in RW route parser.
  • Fix: The brake delay value was incorrectly using that for power when an ATS plugin applied the brakes.
The OpenBVE Project

Version 1.5.3.2

Significant Changes:

  • Update de-DE translation (Thanks Quork)
  • Update ca-ES translation (Thanks MarkRiera)
  • Improved the DirectX object parser.
  • New: Added the command Route.InitialViewpoint to control the camera view at the start of the sim.
  • New: Destination variable for train animations & associated routefile command.
  • Change: Made joystick input more robust under certain circumstances.
  • Fix: Exterior objects were visible from the cab if the driver car was not set to 0.
  • Fix: Issue with animated objects using multiple sounds.

Content Specific Fixes:

  • Hacks: Routefile specific fixes for the Sanbie routes.
  • Hacks: Handle CSV objects using multiple columns.
  • Hacks: Handle times declared in the HH.MM.SS format.