# Train Station vs Model Railways

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Train Station at 63% against Model Railways's 24%. Model Railways's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Train Station sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Model Railways sells 15 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Model Railways holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.9K and 2.4K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 63% of Train Station's written reviews are positive against 24% of Model Railways's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Train Station ships an update every 2 months, Model Railways every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on September 23, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Train Station | Model Railways |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (2.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/train-station-classic/id930204424/reviews) | **[4.7 (2.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/model-railways/id1660176890/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.9K** | 2.4K |
| Positive reviews | **62.8% of reviews** | 24.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 161 MB | 444 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pixel Federation Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/327215542) | [Linh Vu Pham](https://appshunter.io/developer/1609539693) |

## What reviewers say

### Train Station

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/train-station-classic/id930204424)

Manage your own train station, collect thousands of real-life trains, and fulfill cargo contracts. Build and decorate your station, compete with friends, and discover train stories. Enjoy regular updates and seasonal events.

**Highlights:** Collect thousands of real-life trains, Manage and build your train station, Fulfill cargo contracts and earn rewards, Compete with friends and global leaderboards, Participate in seasonal events, Learn real-life train stories

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Beginners Package | $2.99 | one-time |
| Special Pack I | $2.99 | one-time |
| Special Pack XIII | $4.99 | one-time |
| Daily Gems - 30 Days | $4.99 | one-time |
| Starter Bundle | $9.99 | one-time |
| Special Pack XIV | $9.99 | one-time |
| Economy Pack | $19.99 | one-time |
| Special Pack VI | $19.99 | one-time |
| Business Kit | $49.99 | one-time |
| Corporate Package | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Addictive gameplay
- 👍 Detailed train models
- 🚂 Variety of trains and eras
- 🕰️ Relaxing time-based gameplay

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 🕰️ Slow progression without spending
- 🤖 Repetitive and grindy

**Reported bugs**

- Lost progress and saved data
- Login and connectivity issues
- Freezing and performance problems

**Requested features**

- Ability to customize train consists
- More social features and multiplayer
- Improved tutorial and onboarding
- Offline mode or reduced internet dependency


### Model Railways

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/model-railways/id1660176890)

Build and expand your dream model railway system. Collect and merge trains to level up, earn money, and unlock new track layouts. Experience the joy of creating your own miniature world.

**Highlights:** Build model railway systems, Collect and merge trains, Level up trains, Earn in-game money, Unlock new layouts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Engineer of Train | $0.99 | one-time |
| Engineer of Roller Coaster | $0.99 | one-time |
| Accountant of Train | $0.99 | one-time |
| Accountant of Roller Coaster | $0.99 | one-time |
| Money Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| CEO of Train | $1.99 | one-time |
| CEO of Roller Coaster | $1.99 | one-time |
| Super Deal of Train | $2.99 | one-time |
| Epic Deal of Roller Coaster | $2.99 | one-time |
| Super Deal of Roller Coaster | $2.99 | one-time |
| Epic Deal of Train | $2.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack 3 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Money Pack 3 | $3.99 | one-time |
| No Ads | $4.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack 6 | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good game
- 🚀 Lovely game to play

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Lots of bugs
- 🔒 Ads not removed despite purchase
- 🐛 Unable to unlock third area/track
- 🐛 Rewards not granted after watching ads

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to unlock third area/track
- Rewards not granted after watching ads
- Inconsistent progression and maxed out trains
- Game crashes after unlocking second track

**Requested features**

- More levels/areas
- Fix bugs and issues
- Improve progression and unlock system


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Train Station free?

Train Station is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Model Railways free?

Model Railways is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Train Station or Model Railways?

Model Railways is rated higher. Train Station averages 4.5 out of 5 from 2.9K ratings, while Model Railways averages 4.7 from 2.4K ratings.

### Do Train Station or Model Railways have ads?

Both Train Station and Model Railways show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Train Station or Model Railways?

Train Station ships an update every 2 months, and Model Railways every 2 weeks. Most recently, Train Station was updated on September 23, 2026 and Model Railways on September 23, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*