City Transport Simulator 2026 PS5 Review: Upgrades and Flaws

City Transport Simulator 2026 on PlayStation 5 is an overhaul and rebranding of ViewApp's previous public transit title, delivering native combined operations for both buses and trams across a fictional European metropolis. For returning owners of the original City Transport Simulator, the 2026 edition arrives as a completely free digital upgrade that carries over existing add-ons and save data. While it introduces significant simulation systems like dynamic weather, physical ticketing, and an expanded free roam mode, persistent visual bugs and finicky console controls make it a mixed bag for newcomers paying full price.

Upgrade Path, Editions, and Transfer Details

The transition to City Transport Simulator 2026 handles legacy players generously on the PlayStation Network. The new edition exists as an independent application rather than a simple patch, meaning both the legacy release and the 2026 version can remain installed side by side on PS5 storage.

When booting the PS5 edition for the first time, players are prompted to either import their existing save data and custom settings or start completely fresh at Level 1. Resetting to a clean slate triggers mandatory introductory tutorials before opening the main menus.

Dual Transit Gameplay: Trams vs. Buses

Gameplay in CTS 2026 splits between light rail and road transit across the fictional, southern Germany-inspired city of Tramau, which features over 50 kilometers of operational routes and more than 80 individual stations.

Tram Operations and Rail Mechanics

Operating light rail vehicles—such as the classic E1, Tatra KT4D, Tramlink, and the ultra-low-floor ULF—requires adherence to specialized transit signaling rather than standard motor vehicle streetlights. Drivers start vehicles via cold starts, cycling the central key, waiting for onboard monitoring lamps (such as the ZSD) to clear, raising the pantograph, and releasing station brakes.

Power and braking rely primarily on manual left-stick throttle manipulation: pushing forward applies traction, centering the stick causes the vehicle to coast while steadily scrubbing speed, and pulling back engages dynamic and track brakes. The game includes both Easy Play mode (automating switch throwing, door releases, and lighting) and Regular mode, which demands manual management of turnouts, indicators, and speed restrictions that drop to 20 km/h in narrow turns.

Bus Driving and On-Road Handling

Road transport features licensed European transit buses, such as the MAN Lion's City A21 and the modern Citybus C2 family. Cold-starting a bus requires manual dashboard interaction: turning the ignition switch through positions one, two, and three, building system air pressure, putting the automatic gearbox into Drive, and releasing the handbrake.

Bus driving models road friction, vehicle width, and curb collisions. While idling at red lights or road junctions, buses roll forward unless the driver actively holds down the brake pedal or stops with passenger doors deployed. Indicators must be manually cleared using directional controls or the shoulder buttons, with points deducted from route XP if the player turns or departs without signaling.

New Simulation Features in CTS 2026

The 2026 release expands standard vehicle driving with several interconnected operational mechanics.

Dynamic Weather and Seasonal Systems

Weather dynamically shifts between sunshine, fog, rain, snow, and severe thunderstorms. Transition speeds can be configured between Static, Fast (roughly 15-minute cycles), or Medium (30-minute cycles).

Adverse conditions directly alter vehicle cockpits. Low winter temperatures cause windows to frost over, requiring drivers to operate internal cabin thermometers, passenger heating grids, mirror heating, and windshield defrosters. In severe rain, manually activated multi-speed windshield wipers clear water droplets from the driver’s immediate sightlines.

Onboard Ticketing Mechanics

Unlike the hands-off passenger loading of the original game, CTS 2026 introduces an interactive ITCS fare collection unit. When stopped at stations, passengers boarding through the front entrance request specific transit fares:

• Fare classes include single adult tickets, child fares, short trip tickets, day passes, week tickets, and monthly passes.
• Passengers specify payment through either contactless card transactions or physical cash.
• Drivers interact with the machine by clicking the right analog stick to zoom in on the display, selecting the requested ticket category, verifying payment type, and hitting print.
• For cash transactions, players must calculate and return exact change using the bus cash table, or issue credit via the printer.

Ticketing frequency can be modified in gameplay menus between off, rarely, sometimes, often, or very often to balance route punctuality against simulation tasks.

Free Roam and Passenger Modes

The sandbox free roam mode allows players to step out of the driver's seat entirely without encountering loading screens. Players can explore city districts on foot, wait at stops, and board AI-operated buses or trams. Update v26.2.0 added the ability to physically sit in passenger seats rather than remaining standing. While riding an AI vehicle, players can walk up to the cab at any scheduled stop and take over the vehicle directly from the AI driver.

Console Performance and Technical Shortcomings

While CTS 2026 runs stably on PS5 and PS5 Pro hardware, it retains several noticeable rough edges from its early development roots:

• Rearview Mirrors: Internal and side mirror reflections suffer from poor visual fidelity and low frame rates, with no in-game graphical toggle on console to boost mirror resolution.
• Visual Glitches: Environmental geometry and distant structures still exhibit occasional pop-in and texture flickering when moving along high-density corridors.
• Traffic AI Density: Street traffic remains sparse outside of central junctions. While pedestrians populate stops in large numbers, personal vehicles rarely form authentic rush-hour congestion at stoplights.
• Wheel Peripheral Quirks: Popular force feedback hardware, such as the Thrustmaster T128 and preconfigured racing wheels, outputs road bumps, curb impacts, and pothole vibrations effectively. However, PS5 users may encounter initial connection bugs where the wheel is only detected if plugged into the console while parked inside the software's active menus. Wheel center alignment can also track off-center along straight road sections.
• Audio and UI Language: Interactive cockpit buttons and electronic ticket terminals default to German labels, though floating English tooltips appear when hovering over specific controls. Certain introductory cutscenes and voice announcements feature noticeable AI-generated voice implementations.

The Verdict: Is City Transport Simulator 2026 Worth It?

For players who already purchased City Transport Simulator or its separate Bus and Tram packs on console, City Transport Simulator 2026 is an absolute no-brainer to redeem. ViewApp successfully converted an otherwise unpolished initial release into an upgraded, feature-rich transit title at zero additional cost, preserving all past content and career progression.

For prospective players approaching the simulator as a new standalone purchase, the recommendation comes with caveats. If you want a dual simulation covering detailed European light rail and bus mechanics in an expansive sandbox, CTS 2026 offers impressive vehicle cockpits, authentic sounds, and working climate systems. However, given its clunky controller ticketing interface, subpar mirror rendering, and persistent visual bugs, console players looking for a budget-conscious purchase may want to wait for a seasonal PSN store discount.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is City Transport Simulator 2026 free if I owned the previous version?

Yes. Owners of the original City Transport Simulator, including the individual Bus or Tram console editions, can claim City Transport Simulator 2026 for free directly through the PlayStation Store or their respective platform store.

Do DLCs and save data transfer to the 2026 edition on PS5?

Existing DLC purchases transfer automatically at no additional charge. When starting City Transport Simulator 2026, the game offers a choice to import existing career save files and peripheral hardware profiles, or start over at Level 1.

Can you turn off the ticket selling feature?

Yes. If you prefer to focus solely on driving and keeping timetables, the ticketing frequency can be changed in the gameplay settings to rarely, off, or off with printer.

Does City Transport Simulator 2026 support steering wheels on PS5?

The game features built-in force feedback profiles for popular racing wheels like the Thrustmaster T128. If the console fails to recognize the wheel immediately, boot the game with a DualSense controller first, plug the wheel in while at the main menu, and press the wheel's PlayStation connection button.

What are the main features added in Update v26.2.0?

Update v26.2.0 added the ability to sit down in passenger seats during free roam mode, implemented express bus routes that skip empty stops, introduced improved pedestrian grouping, added bell and rail brake pedal functionality to ULF and Flexity trams, and optimized stability around the Toriyama Alley district.