It seems like only yesterday I was talking about my favourite routes of 2023 and yet here we are on the cusp of 2025. These are my picks for the best routes in 2024 and why I like them. (The only route I didn't play this year was MBTA Commuter so it won't be on this list) 5. Semmeringbahn This route was a good pick for TSW, it's a nice relaxing journey through the Austrian Alps with some nice scenery spoiled somewhat by the lack of any new rolling stock (especially the reusing of the Talent 1 with it's fictional sounds) but what it lacks in variety it makes up for in route quality, it's not a route I find myself playing a lot, but when I do I usually have a good time when i'm looking for something more relaxing. 4. Frankfurt-Fulda I'm a big fan of German High Speed however sometimes like the case with Kassel-Wurzburg those routes can be painfully bland to drive on, this route is anything but bland with tons of service variety (even without layers) a fun new toy to play with named the ICE-T and lovely scenery especially when coming into Frankfurt. It's my favourite German route this year, but then again there was only two German routes this year lol. 3. Bernina Linie They finally did it....Rivet made a good route. Comparing Bernina to Arosa in TSW is like comparing a full-english breakfast to breakfast in a can, Bernina is several leagues above anything Rivet have created before. The mountains are gorgeous, the Allegra is superb to drive, passenger announcements, the route is lovely to drive on for a long relaxing journey whether you're driving in Summer or Winter. I'm actually writing this driving uphill toward La Prese and the scenery is what makes it. If you get any Rivet Games product get this one, I just wish Fife Circle was on this same level 2. Goblin Line Or Suffragette if you're Sadiq Khan, it's a very short route with only one train which normally I don't like however the route quality is something else, the route designers did a very good job here making it really feel like you're driving through London, on top of that the 710 is a very welcome addition to the roster and it looks, sounds and feels 1:1 with the real unit. It also has some pretty fun scenarios which I usually don't like compared to service mode. Despite it's length the average service still takes around 45 minutes so it's by no means a short journey and it's packed full of detail, the stations especially really impressed me. So while I don't normally like linear "bus stop" style routes, this is one exception. 1.Preston to Carlisle Yeah so even though the other routes on this list are good, Over Shap just blows all of them out of the water. Blackpool Branches was my favourite route of 2023 and it's no surprise Just Trains managed to do it again with their next release. It's classic BR AC action which was sorely missing in TSW and I mean come on it's 90 miles plus the Morecambe Branch with several variations of old and new locos what's not to love? We got spoiled with this release and JT proved once again how to make a route. I could go on and on about every little detail I love about the route from the signal boxes, stations, engine rooms, nameplates etc but this post is long enough I think. It's an absolute must have. Honourable Mention: San Bernadino This route surprised me with how much better it is compared to Antelope Valley last year, it's not really my cup of tea but I can appreciate good route design nonetheless and the trains sound excellent. So that's my list, lemme know what your favourite routes of the year are
5. Goblin 4. Bernina 3. WCML-S (on the occasion it doesn’t fall to bits as you’re playing it) 2. Fife Circle 1. WCML Over Shap Haven’t played too much of the other TSW5 core routes to include them and not got the German/Austrian routes from this year yet either.
