Via Libera: Italian Train Driver

Via Libera puts you in the driver's seat of a modern regional electric train on the Florence–Empoli–Pisa line in Tuscany, about 80 km of railway driven from a first-person 3D cab. Prepare the train from cold, read the signals, obey the train protection system, follow the dispatcher's orders and bring the service in on time. It is a careful simulation of the job, made by a very small team with AI assistance. The visuals are functional rather than photoreal, and the procedures are a simulation, not an official training tool.

What is in the game today

• The line: Florence–Empoli–Pisa with two route variants, both directions, 92 timetable services across the day and 13 stations on the stopping services.
  
• Driving: deterministic physics with traction, air and electric brakes and wheel-rail adhesion, a cold-start cab preparation and the vigilance device.
  
• Italian signalling: lineside signals with the on-board train protection system (SCMT), temporary speed restrictions and other trains running to the timetable.
  
• The dispatcher (DCO): radio calls with dictated orders and read-backs.
  
• Weather and time: rain, fog, snow, frost, leaf fall and heat; day and night; seasons with real-date weather.
  
• Sound: a fully synthesised soundscape with cab alerts and captions. Announcements are text, chime and captions; there is no voice-over.
  
• Line events: ten kinds, handled by procedure, from people or animals near the track and a fallen tree to a failed level crossing, power loss, a passenger alarm, a door fault, a medical emergency and a security alert.
  
• Scoring: safety, punctuality, comfort, stops and energy, with medals and a reference driver to compare your energy use.
  
• Career: four ranks earned with XP and exams (three theory quizzes generated from the simulation's own rules, three practical exam services), an unlock ladder and an "unlock everything" option.
  
• Scenarios: eight, including four training lessons, plus a weekly challenge with a local board.
  
• Help: guided mode with step-by-step prompts for beginners and an advanced driver-advisory line for experts.
  
• Trains: a 4-car and a 5-car train. kWh, euro and CO2 saved are shown as indicative values.

What we plan during Early Access

• Steam achievements and online leaderboards.
  
• Steam Cloud saves.
  
• Balancing, fixes and performance work guided by player reports.
  
• More polish on visuals, sound and the cab.

After version 1.0 we would like to look at multiplayer. None of this is a promise, and plans may change.

What is not in the game

No voiced announcements, no gamepad support, no passengers walking on platforms, no walkable train, no second route, no moving level-crossing barriers or road traffic, and no real operator or manufacturer names or logos.

Languages

Interface and captions in English and Italian.