Choose Paper Train Traffic
Choose Paper Train Traffic if you want a Casual experience. Paper Train Traffic launched in 2016.
Paper Train Traffic vs Simple Trains
Paper Train Traffic and Simple Trains both land in Indie, Simulation on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Indie, Simulation on Steam. Paper Train Traffic (2016) is 8 years older than Simple Trains (2024). Simple Trains is currently ~80% cheaper on Steam than Paper Train Traffic (2.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Simple Trains
Choose Simple Trains if you want a Strategy and Early Access experience. On Steam, it's currently about 80% cheaper on the Steam Store. Simple Trains launched in 2024.
Both Paper Train Traffic and Simple Trains sit in Indie and Simulation on Steam and both list Steam Leaderboards, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Paper Train Traffic |  Simple Trains | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2024 |
| Genres | Indie, Simulation, Casual | Strategy, Indie, Simulation, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 2.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 73.1% positive (52 reviews) | 4 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | isTom Games Kft. | ElectronDust, Simurai |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- Paper Train Traffic (2016) is 8 years older than Simple Trains (2024).
- Simple Trains is currently ~80% cheaper on Steam than Paper Train Traffic (2.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
Paper Train Traffic vs Simple Trains — FAQ
- Should I play Paper Train Traffic or Simple Trains first?
- If you want chronology, Paper Train Traffic (2016) came out before Simple Trains (2024). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Paper Train Traffic and Simple Trains similar?
- They overlap on Indie, Simulation on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.