Railway Empire 2 has been around for more than one year now, and while the overall initial reception was solid, veteran players were rapidly asking for content that made it as beefy as the original game during its final stretch. Substantial DLC packs take some time to develop, but by early 2025, we can confidently say Railway Empire 2 packs a lot thanks to its post-launch content drops.
Still, as usual with ambitious paid DLC plans, some packs might be better than others, so players that aren’t looking to grab all of them need to prioritize. To better guide aspiring tycoons, we’ve put together a buying guide that details what every DLC has to offer while also giving our unfiltered opinion.
Mind you, chances are that developer Gaming Minds Studios and publisher Kalypso Media will be releasing even more packs in the future (and players very much want more), so we might circle back and update this article once that happens. As it stands, Railway Empire 2 has received four major content packs: Journey to the East, High Voltage, India, and Bella Italia.
4. Journey to the East
Journey to the East was released in early 2024 as the first DLC for Railway Empire 2. The premise is quite enticing, especially for history buffs: connecting several big European capitals to the Ottoman Empire. However, it felt quite limited and half-baked in a number of key areas.
The setting of the Journey to the East pack is 1881-1890, and while the new scenario was fully voiced, it’s also a rather simple one-map offering with many reskinned businesses and 10 new resources. We also found the geography of the Balkan map quite difficult to take advantage of, at least properly. Mind you, completing the scenario isn’t difficult, but since the AI connecting the systems wasn’t upgraded to better navigate this terrain and the resulting layouts, bugs abound.
On the other hand, the 6 new locomotives and the ‘Luxury Rail Line’ upgrade are quite attractive and will surely delight train fanatics. Likewise, its sound work and new music tracks are among the best in Railway Empire 2.
Priced at $9,99 (which admittedly isn’t a lot), Railway Empire 2 – Journey to the East offers the minimum you’d expect from a major DLC pack. Completionists will surely enjoy it, but more casual players looking for denser and more refreshing additions may want to skip this one.
3. Bella Italia
Bella Italia takes players to, you guessed it, Italy during the second half of the 19th century with three fully voiced scenarios “as you discover the many branches of La Famiglia.”
The all-new locations, including the Alps in the north and sunny Gulf of Taranto, are a nice change of vibe, but what about new mechanics and elements unique to this new European trip? Well, it largely feels like ‘more of the same’ despite the all-new flavour. Overall, the map and new regional products are delights, but don’t expect substantial changes to the way the scenarios play out.
Eight new locomotives, such as Mastodonte dei Giovi and Signorine FS Class 640 II, are included in this one, alongside “19 new jingles and tracks” that add to the ambience. However, some visual elements in the maps, such as the wooden bridges, feel misplaced, often making them feel like an extension of the American ones instead of a new European setting. This is the sort of stuff that feels a bit careless, and more attention to small details would’ve been nice.
Bella Italia (and the DLCs above it on this list) is $1 more expensive than Journey to the East, and while the overall quality lands closer to that of the fourth-spot content pack, we’d say it’s worth picking up on sale after you’re done with the two better ones.
2. High Voltage
High Voltage feels like a far more substantial expansion of the game than Journey to the East and Bella Italia. It’s a DLC that takes players into the “age of railway electrification.” More importantly, two new scenarios were added to the game with a new regional map (Switzerland) that’s far better planned out than the first paid post-launch one.
The early 20th century setting (from 1914 to 1920) paints a very different picture too, as there’s a stronger overarching narrative to the progress that must be made: Selling folks on the benefits of electrical locomotives and modern railways. The package comes with 10 new locomotives, 10 new regional products, and 20 new music tracks that complete the vision for the DLC. All in all, the production values simply feel higher in this one.
Not every addition was a win though. An annoying byproduct of such improvements and new bits of content is more managing that involves carefully fixing issues that could’ve easily been avoided had some base-game features been adjusted to electric routes, wiring, and whatnot. As you begin to stack new mechanics on top of previous ones, some cracks begin to show, and fixing recurring mistakes or altering routes can become more of a hassle than it needs to be.
If you don’t mind some awkward friction and rough edges, High Voltage is the sort of post-launch content drop that’s worth picking up if you’ve enjoyed the base game. It’s not more of the same yet it also remains true to the core experience. With such a small price increase after Journey to the East, it feels like a must-play if you enjoyed vanilla Railway Empire 2.
1. India
The India DLC continues the upward trend of Railway Empire 2’s post-launch. It’s priced at $10,99 once again, yet it comes with three fully voiced scenarios, a notably different regional map, and an expansive selection of new products and locomotives.
One of the best things to get after completely exhausting a strategy game is a chunky, markedly different expansion, and we’re fairly sure this is one of those for the diehard Railway Empire crowd. Of course, a DLC that essentially adds ‘more of the same’ doesn’t fix the base game’s issues, but if you’ve been enjoying your time with the vanilla experience, you can’t go wrong with this India-bound expansion. It packs a remarkable amount of content given its price tag and doubles down on the relaxed feeling of the earlier scenarios over presenting stressful situations (there are some difficult missions though).
The overarching narrative happens over a longer period, from 1840 to 1865, and it properly reflects some of the political and social changes the country went through at the time. As a piece of playable history, it’s got some extra value too, since we don’t get to explore that region of the world and time period too often in video games.
Obviously, all the distance between the North American/European settings and India also translates into a refreshingly more colourful aesthetic and, by and large, a different sort of vibe even if the systems remain the same. For an ambitious tycoon game that’s interested in the richness of the world and its history, this one feels like a massive step in the right direction. We’re hoping for more in this style in the future.
- Railway Empire 2 - High Voltage
- Railway Empire 2 - Journey To The East
- Railway Empire 2 - India
- Railway Empire 2 - Bella Italia
- Railway Empire 2
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