Towns in Transport Fever 3 grow by earning XP from the passengers and cargo you deliver, multiplied by two ratings: Supplies (how well you serve them) and Authority (how they feel about you). To grow a town fast, carry passengers in from other towns, deliver the cargo its districts demand, and fix whichever of its six Authority ratings is lowest.
It’s a new system compared with Transport Fever 2. Here is how it works, per Urban Games’ official town manual page.
Town Levels
Every town has a level, from Small Hamlet at level 1 to Large Metropolis at level 18. Reaching level 2 takes 1,000 XP, and each level after that needs 1.5 times the XP of the one before, so big towns take far more work to level.
Where Town XP Comes From
Passengers:
- 5 XP for a passenger from the same town.
- 10 XP from a neighbouring town.
- 20 XP from farther away.
Cargo: 10, 20 or 40 XP per item, depending on how complex the cargo is.
The final amount is the raw XP multiplied by the town’s Supplies and Authority ratings. That’s why two towns with the same traffic can grow at very different speeds.
The Supplies Rating
Supplies measures how well you serve the town:
- Passenger supplies: based on line usage. The manual says 50% line usage gives the maximum.
- Cargo supplies: based on meeting the town’s cargo demands.
Towns start with one cargo demand per district. As they level up, they add more: a second commercial demand at level 5, a second industrial one at level 7, a third commercial one at level 9 and a third industrial one at level 11. Check a town’s demands when it levels up, or its Supplies rating will slip.
The Authority Rating
Authority is the lowest of six ratings, so one bad rating holds the whole town back:
- Reputation: drops when you landscape, demolish buildings or break town links. Planting trees helps it recover.
- Happiness
- Delivery: late cargo hurts it.
- Traffic: congestion.
- Noise: loud lines through town.
- Pollution: counted across the town’s whole area.
Always fix the weakest rating first; raising a rating that’s already high does nothing for Authority.
Other Ways to Boost a Town
- Your headquarters gives the nearest town a growth bonus, starting at 5%. Our beginner tips explain where to put it.
- Landmarks, unlocked as perks.
- Marketing campaigns.
- Headquarters upgrades.
The Fastest Growth Plan
- Connect towns to each other with passenger lines, since visitors from other towns are worth two to four times as much XP as local trips.
- Deliver every cargo demand, and add new ones as the town levels up.
- Keep lines well used, since passenger supplies reach their maximum once lines run at 50% usage.
- Avoid demolishing town buildings, and route noisy lines around the centre.
- Check the six Authority ratings regularly and fix the lowest.
Why Town Growth Matters for Your Company
Bigger towns create more passengers and demand more goods, which means more income; our money guide covers that side. The total population across the map also sets your company rank, from Junior up to Tycoon. Two achievements, Urban Development and Megatropolis (a town of 3,000), reward growing towns too.
If you’re choosing a map, our guide to every map size explains how much room your towns will have. Every guide is on our Transport Fever 3 hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make towns grow in Transport Fever 3? Deliver passengers and cargo to earn town XP, and keep the Supplies and Authority ratings high, since they multiply that XP.
Why is my town not growing? Usually one of its six Authority ratings is low, or its cargo demands aren’t being met. Fix the lowest rating first.
How many town levels are there? Eighteen, from Small Hamlet to Large Metropolis.
Do passengers from other towns give more XP? Yes. Passengers from a neighbouring town give twice the XP of local trips, and from farther away four times as much.
Does demolishing buildings hurt towns? Yes. It lowers the town’s Reputation rating, which can drag down its Authority.