Video games

Train Sim World VR New York: Full Review & Meta Quest Verdict 2025

April 18, 2025

609

Last Update on December 26, 2025

Since its launch on March 31, 2025, Train Sim World VR: New York marks a turning point for virtual reality train simulation. Developed by Dovetail Games in collaboration with Just Add Water, this title exclusive to Meta Quest 2, 3S, 3 and Pro headsets offers total immersion in the shoes of a New York train driver.

After several weeks of intensive testing on various Meta Quest headsets, here is our full analysis to determine if this VR simulator truly deserves your attention in 2025.

Train Sim World VR: The New York Experience on Meta Quest in 2025

Train Sim World VR: New York does more than just transpose a train simulation into VR. The game faithfully reconstructs the MTA’s Harlem Line, a 24-mile route connecting the legendary Grand Central Terminal to North White Plains in northern Manhattan.

The experience relies on two officially licensed trains:

The M3A: A vintage 1980s model, with raw driving and analog controls
The M7A: A modern train introduced in the 2000s, equipped with digital interfaces and smoother handling

Cab modeling is a crucial point for a VR simulation. Dovetail Games has reproduced every detail: control panels, brake levers, information screens, down to the worn stickers and signs of wear. This attention to detail creates a remarkable presence, enhanced by the haptic vibrations of the Quest controllers during acceleration and braking.

Gameplay and VR Immersion: Are You Really the Driver?

Immersion is at the heart of the experience. Train Sim World VR: New York offers a progressive approach that adapts to your level of expertise in train simulation.

The Three Game Modes

Career Mode: Pure simulation mode. Each journey imposes strict schedules, safety protocols, and a scoring system based on your precision. Respecting speed limits, stopping the train exactly at the platform, managing passenger announcements… every detail counts. Seasoned players will appreciate the progressive difficulty and the ranking system that encourages replayability.

Journey Mode: Perfect for beginners or those looking for a contemplative experience. Here, there is no time pressure; you drive at your own pace while enjoying the New York urban landscape. It is also the ideal mode to familiarize yourself with VR controls without the frustration of penalties.

Explore Mode: The title’s true surprise. This mode frees you from the cab to explore stations, ride as a passenger, or search for collectibles hidden along the line. An almost touristic dimension that adds variety and allows you to appreciate the environmental modeling work.

Getting Started and VR Controls

Controls have been redesigned for VR with intuitive logic. Interactions are mainly done by pointing and activating with the Quest controller triggers. Every lever, button, and screen can be manipulated naturally, without abstract menus.

Important point: the game does not yet support native hand-tracking in 2025, so you will need to use the controllers. However, the gestures are natural enough that the absence of hand-tracking does not hinder immersion.

Personal Hub: The New York Apartment

Between missions, you return to your virtual apartment located in New York. This customizable hub displays your progress, trophies, and collected items. Far from being anecdotal, this space reinforces the roleplay aspect and creates true narrative continuity between gaming sessions.

Graphic Performance: Meta Quest 3 vs. Quest 2

The technical question is central for a VR game: how does Train Sim World VR run on different Meta Quest headsets in 2025?

Meta Quest 3 and 3S: The Optimal Experience

On Quest 3, the game fully benefits from the power of the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor. Urban environments display impressive sharpness, including:

Improved native resolution: Billboards, railway signals, and architectural details are readable from a distance
Stable 90 FPS framerate: Even in dense sections of Manhattan with many buildings
Dynamic lighting effects: Cast shadows, reflections on windows, and light variations depending on the time of day

The Quest 3S, with its similar chipset but less advanced lenses, offers a nearly identical experience in terms of fluidity, with a slight compromise on peripheral clarity.

Meta Quest 2: Still Playable, but with Compromises

On Quest 2, Dovetail Games had to make compromises to maintain fluidity:

Reduced resolution: Distant textures appear blurrier
Lowered polygon density: Some scenery elements are simplified
Targeted 72 FPS framerate: With some micro-drops in very dense areas

Verdict: The game remains perfectly playable on Quest 2, but the visual experience is significantly superior on Quest 3. If you are hesitating to upgrade your headset, Train Sim World VR is one of the titles that justifies the investment.

VR Comfort and Motion Sickness

Train simulation poses a unique challenge in VR: reproducing the movement of a train without causing nausea. Dovetail Games has integrated several accessibility options:

Dynamic Vignette: Reduces the peripheral field of vision during acceleration
Teleportation Mode: For movement outside the cab
Horizon Lock: Stabilizes the horizon line to minimize motion sickness

After sessions of 45 minutes to 1 hour, comfort remains generally good, even for sensitive users. The train’s movements are predictable and linear enough not to trigger discomfort.

Content: The New York LIRR Line in Detail

The Harlem line reconstructed in the game covers 24 miles of track with 19 reproduced stations. Each station has its own architectural specificities and atmosphere.

Realism and Fidelity

Dovetail Games worked with official data from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to ensure authenticity. Schedules, signals, safety protocols, and even sound announcements match reality.

Purists will appreciate the faithful reproduction of procedures: checking systems before departure, radio communication with dispatch, and door management according to the platforms… Each journey becomes a true challenge of precision.

Lifespan and Replayability

Career Mode offers 30 progressive missions, each lasting between 20 and 45 minutes depending on the distance covered. Counting the different modes and exploration, the total content represents about 15 to 20 hours of gameplay to complete everything.

Replayability is based on:

The online scoring and ranking system
Collectibles hidden in Exploration mode
Progressive mastery of the two train models
Weather and time-of-day variations

Comparison point: at €29.99 (launch price), the value for money is in the upper average of premium VR experiences on Quest. More accessible than a Flight Simulator but more expensive than a classic VR party game.

What Really Works

After several weeks of testing, here are the undeniable strengths of Train Sim World VR: New York:

Immersion and Presence

This is the game’s great success. You are in that cab, not just looking at a screen. The vibrations, surrounding sounds, the sensation of acceleration (visually reinforced)… everything contributes to a remarkable presence. Looking out the window and seeing the Manhattan skyscrapers go by creates truly memorable moments.

Progressive Accessibility

Unlike the ultra-technical PC simulators from Dovetail Games, this VR version remains accessible for newcomers while offering enough depth for enthusiasts. Journey Mode allows you to get familiar without frustration before moving on to Career Mode challenges.

Technical Stability

No crashes, major bugs, or tracking issues during our tests. Stability is exemplary for a title launched in March 2025, which is not always the case for day-one VR games.

Sound Design

The sound design deserves special mention. The hum of the engine, the screeching of the brakes, the station announcements, the urban background noises… 3D audio contributes enormously to immersion. Wearing quality headphones literally transforms the experience.

What Disappoints or is Still Missing

Despite its qualities, Train Sim World VR: New York has some weaknesses that must be mentioned for a complete and honest review.

Simplified Cabs for Purists

Players used to the PC versions of Train Sim World will find the cabs slightly simplified. Some secondary systems are automated or absent to lighten the cognitive load in VR. A decision understandable for accessibility, but one that may frustrate hardcore simmers.

Uneven Graphics

While the overall environment is convincing, some assets show their age. The textures of some distant buildings, a few vehicle models, or static pedestrians lack finesse. On Quest 3, these flaws are more visible due to the higher resolution.

Content Limited to a Single Line

Currently, only the Harlem line is available. No DLC has been officially announced for 2025, although Dovetail Games hints that other routes could follow. For €30, some players would have appreciated more variety at launch.

No Multiplayer Mode

Unlike some VR simulation titles, there is no cooperative or competitive mode. It’s impossible to drive with a friend or compare your performance in real-time. The game remains a strictly solo experience.

Absence of Hand-tracking

Although the controllers work perfectly, the lack of native hand-tracking support for the Quest 3 is a missed opportunity. Manipulating levers and buttons with your real hands would have pushed immersion even further.

Comparison with Other VR Simulations

To contextualize, how does Train Sim World VR: New York stand against the competition in 2025?

Compared to Derail Valley (available on PCVR), Train Sim World VR focuses more on authenticity and realistic simulation of an existing line, whereas Derail Valley offers more arcade and management-oriented gameplay. The two audiences are different.

Compared to flight simulators like Ultrawings 2 or racing simulations like Assetto Corsa VR, Train Sim World VR offers a more contemplative, almost meditative pace. It is a niche experience that embraces its identity.

2025 Verdict: Should You Buy Train Sim World VR?

After a full analysis, here is our final verdict on Train Sim World VR: New York based on your profile:

You SHOULD buy it if:

You are passionate about trains or railway simulation
You own a Meta Quest 3 and are looking for a high-quality immersive experience
You enjoy contemplative experiences that are less frantic than VR action games
You live in New York or know the Harlem line well (nostalgia guaranteed)
You are looking for a technically stable and straightforward VR game

You SHOULD wait if:

You only own a Quest 2 and are waiting to upgrade to fully enjoy the graphics
You are hoping for additional content (DLC with new lines) before investing
You are looking for an ultra-technical PC-level simulation with all systems modeled
The very concept of driving a commuter train does not appeal to you at all
You are very sensitive to motion sickness in VR (test with the demo first if available)

Final Score

7.5/10 – An excellent VR simulator for its target audience, with remarkable immersion and exemplary stability, but limited by its single-line content and some simplifications that will disappoint railway simulation purists.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is Train Sim World VR compatible with Quest 2?

Yes, Train Sim World VR: New York is compatible with Meta Quest 2, as well as Quest 3, 3S, and Pro. On Quest 2, expect slightly reduced graphics and a framerate of 72 FPS instead of 90 FPS on Quest 3.

What is the lifespan of the New York route?

Career Mode offers about 30 missions for a total of 15 to 20 hours of gameplay, including exploration and different modes. Replayability depends on your interest in improving your scores and finding all collectibles.

Does the game support hand-tracking?

No, in 2025, Train Sim World VR does not yet support native hand-tracking for Meta Quest headsets. You will need to use Touch controllers for all interactions.

Can you play seated or do you have to stand?

The game is perfectly playable in a seated position, which actually corresponds to the real position of a train driver. It is an excellent title for long sessions without physical fatigue.

Are there any planned DLCs?

No DLC has been officially announced by Dovetail Games for 2025, but the studio has hinted that other lines could be added if the game meets with expected success.

Does the game cause nausea?

The linear and predictable movements of the train generally limit motion sickness. The game offers many accessibility options (dynamic vignette, teleportation) for sensitive players. Most testers reported no discomfort after one-hour sessions.

Conclusion

Train Sim World VR: New York succeeds in its goal: bringing train simulation to virtual reality in a convincing and accessible way. The immersion in a New York train cab, the fidelity of the Harlem line, and the technical stability make it a quality experience for fans of the genre.

The graphic compromises and simplifications are understandable in the context of standalone Quest hardware, even if they will disappoint purists used to ultra-detailed PC simulations. The content limited to a single line might also deter some players given the €29.99 price tag.

Nevertheless, if you are looking for a contemplative, immersive, and technically solid VR experience, Train Sim World VR: New York sincerely deserves your attention in 2025. It is probably the best train simulator currently available on Meta Quest.

Sources

Rate this post