Greetings, fellow urban planners!
I am Bad Peanut, and I’m thrilled to present the developer diary for my debut Creator Pack for Cities: Skylines II. For those familiar with my work, this project marks a return to my creative origins: public transportation. I began my journey in the Cities: Skylines modding scene back in 2015, crafting train stations, vehicles, and assets heavily influenced by the distinct architectural style of Australia.
Over nearly a decade, I’ve shared an extensive portfolio of free content on the Steam Workshop and authored two official Content Creator Packs: Train Stations and Sports Venues. Since the launch of Cities: Skylines II, I’ve remained active in the community, providing free assets via Paradox Mods as part of the asset editor beta.
In this diary, I’ll dive into the design philosophy behind this pack and highlight the specific details and features I’m most excited to share with you.
Defining the Pack’s Vision
I view “City Stations” as a conceptual evolution of my original Train Stations pack. While it revisits familiar themes, it leverages the sophisticated new tools available to creators in Cities: Skylines II. One major shift is the inclusion of trams as a foundational transport network in the base game, making them a central pillar of this collection.
The pack focuses on the four primary pillars of urban transit: Bus, Tram, Train, and Subway. My goal was to provide a balance between versatile, everyday stations that can be utilized throughout your city and high-impact “landmark” hubs that serve as architectural focal points.
Design Philosophy and Gameplay Integration
For every transit mode, I’ve included two repeatable station variants and one unique landmark. To ensure your city feels organic rather than repetitive, I’ve utilized the new “placeholder propping” system. This allows non-unique stations to randomly select between different roof and concourse designs upon placement.
Furthermore, these roof designs feature distinct color variations independent of the main building. This subtle randomization ensures that even if you place multiple versions of the same station, each will possess a unique visual character.
Bus Transportation: Seamless Urban Flow
The bus stations in this pack utilize a “sunken” design. By placing the platforms slightly below grade, pedestrian concourses can bridge over the lanes. This grade separation prevents foot traffic from interrupting bus movements, ensuring a high-efficiency flow for both commuters and vehicles. We’ve also introduced a refined bus stop prop designed for enhanced citizen comfort.
Featured Bus Assets:
- Compact Bus Depot
- Architectural Bus Stop Shelter
- Small City Bus Station
- Large City Bus Station
- City Center Bus Station
Compact Bus Depot
Each transit category features a new depot designed for maximum spatial efficiency. Despite its small footprint, this depot supports a fleet of 10 buses and offers an upgrade for electric vehicle integration. The open-shed design allows you to see service vehicles parked on the lot, adding a layer of industrial realism to your city.
Architectural Bus Stop Shelter
This premium stop can be placed on sidewalks to provide a more comfortable experience for your citizens. If your residents prioritize comfort, they will actively favor lines equipped with these stylish shelters—and yes, they are fully animated to use the seating while they wait.
Small City Bus Station
Equipped with four integrated platforms and space for two additional buses, this asset functions as a micro-depot. Beyond its transit utility, it serves as a public space, providing leisure value to the surrounding neighborhood. To streamline management, the upgrade menu features a direct shortcut to the bus line tool.
Large City Bus Station
Expanding on the small version’s logic, this station features pull-in bays that allow active buses to bypass those currently boarding. It can be upgraded with extra platforms or a subterranean Subway Interface. It also functions as a dual-purpose park and “park-and-ride” facility, offering public parking for local visitors.
City Center Bus Station
As the landmark of the bus category, this unique building features a fixed, iconic silhouette while still utilizing randomized platform roofs. It includes a basic depot for 8 additional buses and a massive public plaza. The station also supports the Subway Interface upgrade to create a true multi-modal hub.
Tram Transportation: The Urban Connector
Our tram stations are designed as social gathering points. The “Plaza” variants allow tracks to pass through or terminate, while the landmark Terminal ensures pedestrian safety by looping tracks around the rear of the building.
Featured Tram Assets:
- Compact Refurbished Tram Depot
- Architectural Tram Stop Shelter
- Small Tram Plaza
- Large Tram Plaza
- Tram Terminal Plaza
Compact Refurbished Tram Depot
Drawing inspiration from the historic tram depots of Melbourne, this asset offers high capacity in a compact form. An available upgrade adds a modern shed to the rear, increasing the fleet by six additional vehicles.
Small & Large Tram Plazas
These assets blend transit with recreation. The Small Plaza features a curved track that integrates into your road network, while the Large Plaza offers six platforms and an optional depot yard. Both function as park assets, boosting local land value.
Tram Terminal Plaza
This landmark features a sheltered indoor hall for commuters. Loosely inspired by Rotterdam Centraal, it boasts a grand fountain and a signature glass clock tower. The tower can be swapped for a Subway Interface to further centralize your transit network.
Subway Transportation: Subterranean Innovation
I’ve reimagined classic concepts like bypass tracks and multi-platform hubs for the sequel. A personal favorite is the Sunken Subway Park, which was the very first asset I conceptualized for this pack.
Featured Subway Assets:
- Compact Subway Yard
- Small Subway Plaza
- Elevated Bypass Subway Station
- Sunken Subway Park
Sunken Subway Park
This massive, circular landmark can be beautifully integrated into roundabouts or sprawling parks. It features terraced seating where citizens can relax while watching trains arrive. If your city grows, the central park area can be replaced with an 8-platform subterranean expansion, and an architectural glass roof can be added for weather protection.
Train Transportation: The Heavy Haulers
Rail is my specialty, and these assets focus on efficiency and grandeur. From bypass configurations that keep through-traffic moving to the colossal City Central hub, these stations are built for high-capacity cities.
Featured Train Assets:
- Compact Rail Yard
- Sunken Bypass Train Station
- Elevated Bypass Train Station
- City Central Train Station
City Central Train Station
The crown jewel of the pack. This station features 12 platforms of varying geometry, a massive entrance plaza, and a suspension bridge for pedestrians. It includes a built-in 8-vehicle yard and can be upgraded with through-tunnels, botanical gardens, and subway connections.
Pedestrian Overpasses & Customization
To help manage pedestrian flow, the pack includes four sizes of pedestrian overpasses. These snap to road centers and can be upgraded with median access. They are most effective when paired with the road tool to remove street-level crosswalks.
Additionally, we’ve included 14 placeable props—including the modern clock tower and 11 unique pavilions—found in the Landscaping menu. These allow you to hand-craft custom plazas and transit stops with ease.
Modding Potential: The Placeholder System
A unique technical aspect of this pack is the “placeholder” roof system. By exposing these sub-objects, I’ve made it possible for other asset creators to design their own roofs that can automatically appear on my stations. This opens the door for endless community-driven variety.
I hope this glimpse into the design process has you excited for the future of your city’s transit. I can’t wait to see the intricate hubs and vibrant neighborhoods you build using these tools.
Happy building,
Bad Peanut
Explore more from Bad Peanut: Cities: Skylines | Cities: Skylines II
