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FF8 Train

Intercontinental train.

Train Train Take Us Away. Take Us Away Far Away. To the Future We Will Go. Where It Leads No One Knows.

Selphie singing

Rail transportation (大陸横断鉄道, Tairikuoudantetsudou?, lit. Transcontinental Railroad) is the main method of traveling across the world of Final Fantasy VIII, until the party obtains the mobile Garden and Ragnarok.

This particularly applies for moving between Balamb and the Galbadian Continent. The towns of Timber, Dollet, and Deling City are all accessible by rail, and the D-District Prison and Galbadia Garden are within a short walk from stations. There is also a connection between Timber and Esthar on the Horizon Bridge, going through Fishermans Horizon, although this line is disused. The departure for Deling City triggers the removal of Galbadian barricades and makes trains start navigating the world map, and thus the player can then use world map train stations.

Gameplay[]

FF8ScreenshotTrain1

Train on railroad tracks.

Regardless of distance between stops, the charge for using the rail service is 3,000 gil. After buying a ticket, the player will lose it if they leave the town and they will have to re-purchase it; this is because the tickets are not inventory items, and leaving town "resets" the ticket. The player can continue to use the train system at any point after leaving Timber, until the point of no return at the battle atop the Lunatic Pandora.

The player can observe trains whizzing by while they are on the world map. If the player stands on the rails, no trains will come their way.

Story[]

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow. (Skip section)
FFVIII world conceptual

Rail lines in Final Fantasy VIII.

Rail travel is used five times during the story. After graduation, the first SeeD mission is based in Timber, and the train is required to get there. During the journey, Squall, Zell and Selphie have a strange experience where they dream about Laguna, but recover shortly before arrival.

Their mission in Timber is train-based, which involves hijacking President Vinzer Deling's carriage by uncoupling the train cars around the target. Afterwards, the party leaves Timber by rail, heading towards the East Academy Station near Galbadia Garden. After the events in the Garden, the party travels to Deling City by train. The last use of the train is on disc 2, when the SeeD members travel back to Balamb to warn about the missiles fired at Balamb Garden.

Spoilers end here.

Types[]

Forest Owls' Base[]

FFVIII-Train

The Forest Owls' base is a yellow train engine with a skull and crossbones print near the front. The inside of the train has a similar layout to most conventional engines with the back-most cabin being converted into a room for Rinoa Heartilly. The cabin on the lowest level is used as a meeting/planning room, with a table and a board. The other cabins remain the same as they had been designed (control cabin and boarding cabins).

Intercontinental train[]

FFVIII-TimberTrain

With a blue and grey color scheme, these trains are the primary type seen racing around the globe as civilian transports pulling groups of passenger carriages along. Powered by a turbine mechanism, their cars' coloring differs depending on the travel region. Usually, the train is comprised of four cars.

SeeD cabin[]

SeeD Cabin

In some trains, SeeD have special cabins designated for private use. The cabin includes a large couch and two bunks as well as providing entertainment for long journeys, such as magazines.

Rollcars and monorails[]

Timber Roll Car.

Trains and monorails are predominantly seen traveling through Timber. Composed of three cars each, the rollcars are given a flush and crisp design, while the monorails have more curved appearances. Local residents coming and going from the TV station make use of the rollcar lines.

Doomtrain[]

Doomtrain-ffviii

Doomtrain is a train-type Guardian Force. Similar to a ghost train, the Doomtrain appears and disappears into thin air and several issues of Occult Fan magazine make mention of it and its appearances.

Stations[]

Train station locations

Train Stations are dotted throughout the country of Galbadia, with some located within towns/cities while others are solitary, located in various areas of wilderness. While most are in varying degrees of operation, there are one or two that have fallen in disrepair due to a lack of use, the most extreme examples of this being in Fishermans Horizon and the station near the Great Salt Lake, which have both been abandoned, due to the Sorceress War and Esthar's self-imposed "silence" thereafter.

Far East Galbadia Station[]

Far East Galbadia Station

A solitary train station in Galbadia for embarking and disembarking Galbadia Garden students. The station has a direct link to Deling City and is a constant site of students waiting for trains or simply "hanging out" after a hard day of school.

City/town-based stations[]

Other stations[]

  • Dollet Station - Near Dollet
  • Desert Prison Station - Near D-District Prison
  • Seaside Station - Near the Great Salt Lake
  • East Academy Station - Between Timber and Galbadia Garden
  • Far East Station - Next to Galbadia Garden

Behind the scenes[]

Final_Fantasy_8_Unused_Dialog

Final Fantasy 8 Unused Dialog

Unused scene in a train to Timber

An unused segment for the train ride to Timber where Squall, Zell and Selphie do not use the SeeD cabin and fall asleep exists as dummied content. In it, Selphie plans to check out the other cars and Zell keeps active, intending to "warm up" for the upcoming mission. Squall is exasperated by his comrades' behavior, but keeps his feelings to himself, sarcastically noting that at least he will not get bored with these two around.

Another unused line has Zell marveling at the train, saying the transcontinental train line goes around the world and they could go on an around-the-world trip on the train if they wanted to. This line was likely removed because the trains do not actually go around the world.

Final_Fantasy_VIII_Unused_Scene_-_Train_to_Deling_City

Final Fantasy VIII Unused Scene - Train to Deling City

Unused scene in a train to Deling City.

There exists another dummied scene for when the party is heading to Deling City from the Galbadia Garden after Irvine joins the SeeDs. Rinoa does not want to go to Deling City, but does not elaborate a reason. Quistis detests doing assassination missions, but sees it as a mandatory part of their job. Zell worries the mission may be jeopardized by Squall falling asleep in the middle of it, and they wonder who is behind the "dream world" phenomenon. Irvine marvels at how cute the girls in the party are and asks who Squall's favorite is, which leads him into thinking about his stance on dating.

Gallery[]

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