Rail transportation (Final Fantasy VIII)

Rail transportation 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==
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==
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.
==Types==
===Forest Owls' Base===
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===
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===
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===
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 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 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===
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===
*Balamb Town
*Deling City
*Timber
*Fishermans Horizon
===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==
320px|right|thumb|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.
320px|right|thumb|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==
ff8-timber-monorail.jpg|Timber Monorail.
Ff8train3.jpg|Intercontinental Train render.
ff8-timber-train3.jpg|Intercontinental Train.
ff8-timber-train4.jpg|Intercontinental Train carriage.
8b-wagon_inside_1.jpg|Intercontinental carriage internal images.
SeeD-Cabin-artwork.jpg|SeeD Cabin artwork.
Train from FFVIII Remastered.png|Squall on the train.
FF8ScreenshotSelphie4.jpg|Selphie and Squall on a train.
FF8ScreenshotTrain2.jpg|Train on railroad tracks.
FF8ScreenshotTrain3.jpg|Train on railroad tracks.
Timber Train President's Cabin FFVIII Art.jpg|Concept art of the president's cabin.
Hijacking a train from FFVIII Remastered.png|A G-Soldier running after a hi-jacked train.
Category:Transportation in Final Fantasy VIII
Category:Trains