Train makes its return to the competitive scene, and although the map hasn’t yet been added to the main pool in the Counter-Strike 2 client, tournament organizers and FACEIT have already switched to it. Today, the CS.MONEY Blog will discuss how to play on Train, what key grenades to use, and the map’s features.
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Key features of Train in Counter-Strike 2
The first thing to note: forget all your previous experiences with Train, whether from CS 1.6 or Global Offensive. The current version of Train has a completely different pace and is played quite differently. Here’s a good video that shows the key timings on the map and basic strategies.
An A-plant push through the Main can happen as early as 8 seconds into the round, and if the defence is caught off guard, it can quickly lead to significant problems.
The A-plant itself is much more open; there are not enough closed positions, meaning that playing there involves both high rewards and high risks.
The B-plant, due to its layout, is more traditional. However, the timing to hold it is easier to read, and there are plenty of closed positions, which makes it feel more like the familiar Counter-Strike we know.
How to Play on Train in Counter-Strike 2
The default defensive setup is one player on B and 3+1 on A. Why 3+1? This is because of the early timing of the A push: the extra player immediately moves to reinforce against a possible rush. If no rush occurs, they rotate to reinforce B.
Early grenade throws are crucial because they can punish overly aggressive players pushing main, feeding them a few grenades. For example, take a look at how Fnatic dealt with donk in round 19— the red wagon didn’t help the best player of 2024 escape.
If no early frags happen, the round transitions into very cautious and intelligent tactical gameplay. There’s no clear point to take in order to gain an advantage; the map is large and open, stretching teams out and provoking mistakes, with plenty of room for lurkers.
Also, since it’s a large map, consider the AUG on defence, as the distances between engagements can be long. Meanwhile, areas like Popdog and short corridors can provoke surprise engagements. If we look back at the Team Spirit vs. Fnatic match, we can see how BlameF bought the XM1014 in round 21 and made a surprising frag.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of some rounds from that match by dusT:
Professional teams are still getting accustomed to Train, and as time goes on, it will be increasingly interesting to watch established rounds and meta-breaking strategies.
Best grenades on Train in CS2
Currently, many teams are busy finding new and interesting grenade strategies, but several effective smokes are already available, including community-made in-game guides. One of them is a guide in the Steam workshop by ForceiD.
An alternative guide from pOint is also an option:
To activate these guides, subscribe to them in the Steam Workshop, then launch CS2, and after clicking “Play,” go to the training section. When selecting the Train map, guide options will appear on the left. Select the one you need and practice the grenade throws.
Train is a fresh and unpredictable map that’s fun to play, especially now when even professional teams haven’t fully perfected their gameplay. Enjoy the game, and we wish you the best of luck on the server!
