Indian Train Simulator Express

Opening the app and the first level

The loading screen shows a train moving through a city skyline. Tap the screen, and the main menu appears with "Play," "Train," and "Settings." No tutorial, just a "Play" button. Tap it, and you're dropped into Level 1. You're sitting in the cab of a train at a station. The controls are on the bottom: a throttle slider and a brake slider. A green arrow points to the platform, indicating where you need to stop. The objective is simple: move the train forward, stop at the marked spot, and let passengers board. The first level is easy. The train moves smoothly, and the camera follows from behind. The graphics are decent for a mobile game—buildings, trees, and tracks are visible. But the level ends in under a minute. You get a star rating based on your stopping accuracy. Then an ad plays. It's a 30-second video ad that you can't skip. After the ad, you're taken to Level 2. The pattern repeats: drive, stop, ad, next level. The ads are the most noticeable part of the experience.

Comparing the level progression with other train simulators

Other train simulators like "Train Simulator 2024" or "Euro Train Simulator" offer open-world driving, multiple routes, and detailed cab controls. This game is different. It's level-based, with only 10 levels. Each level is a variation of the same task: park the train at a specific spot. There's no free roam, no cargo transport, no weather effects. The levels are short and repetitive. A user on Chrome-Stats noted that the game is "too easy and there are only 10 levels." Another user called it "basic, boring, bad graphics and woody gameplay." The level progression is linear, and there's no incentive to replay levels unless you want to improve your star rating. The game's simplicity might appeal to casual players, but for anyone looking for a real train simulation experience, it falls short. The game's description promises "realistic Indian city environment," but the environments are limited to a few city blocks. The trains are varied—there are different Indian trains—but the gameplay doesn't change. The level-based design is a deliberate choice to keep the game simple, but it also limits replayability.

The version history and what actually changed

The version history shows a pattern of infrequent updates with vague changelogs. Version 14.6 was released at some point, then 15.0, 15.1, and 15.2. The changelog for each version is the same: "Stability Improvement and Bug fixes." That's a red flag. It suggests the developer is not transparent about what actually changes. Users on Chrome-Stats reported that the game still has bugs, such as crashing during level transitions and ads not loading properly. The app's file size fluctuated: 61.5 MB in version 14.6, 68.8 MB in 15.1, and 102.5 MB in 15.2? Actually, the size is around 68.8 MB. The update frequency is low—the last update was in June 2026, and before that, January 2025. The developer, ALP GAMES, is based in India. The company has released other train simulators like "Hitech City Train Simulator" and "City Train Driver Simulator." The support email is in*****@gmail.com. The app's privacy policy is not prominently displayed. The app's content rating is PEGI 3, but the ads are not always age-appropriate. The app's data safety section claims that data is encrypted in transit, but the same section says data cannot be deleted. That's contradictory.

The niche use-case: playing offline during commutes

The game's offline capability is its most practical use case. You can download the game and play it without an internet connection. This is useful for long commutes or flights where Wi-Fi is unavailable. The game's small file size (around 68.8 MB) means it won't take up much storage space. The controls are simple enough to play with one hand, which is convenient for crowded trains or buses. The game's levels are short, so you can play a few levels during a short break. However, the game's ad frequency is a problem even offline. The ads are pre-loaded, so they still play even without an internet connection. The game's ad implementation is aggressive—ads appear after every level, and some ads are unskippable. This ruins the offline experience. A user on AppRecs noted that the game has "intrusive ad frequency causing significant user churn." The game's free model is unsustainable without ads, but the ad implementation is excessive. The game's offline play is a positive feature, but the ads make it less enjoyable. The game's niche use-case is offline train simulation, but the ad load makes it a frustrating experience. The game's levels are easy, and the ads are annoying.