Early Access to Beta Provided by EA/ Firemonkeys
LEVEL UNLOCKS: 15 UNLOCKS: simtown express, downtown area and hospital profession workplace TIME LIMIT: 5 days PRIZE: toddler train conductor outfit
NOTE: if a pop up appears about this new quest click NOT NOW, if you do click YES and it takes you to downtown DO NOT BUILD THE HOSPITAL! Go back to simtown and build the simtown express first. If you build the hospital you will not be able to get back to downtown to complete construction on the hospital and will be unable to build the simtown express as the hospital is being built. If you have built the hospital early contact the makers to see if they can fix this issue for you
To begin this discovery quest you need to build the simtown express (this is located on the bottom left of town next to the restaurant) If you complete this quest in the time limit you will unlock the toddler train conductor outfit, if you don’t complete in the time you will still unlock the simtown express and downtown but you won’t get the outfit
You cannot complete this quest at the same time as any other discovery quest
HOW LONG DOES THIS QUEST TAKE TO COMPLETE?
Times may vary depending on the star rating an item has
- Call the train company- 48 seconds (using a phone)
- Meet Thomas, the tiny conductor- 15 minutes
- Ask about safety lessons- 2 hours 15 minutes (Thomas)
- Read a book about trains- 8 hours 30 minutes (using a bookshelf)
- Find a snack for Thomas- 1 hour 50 minutes (using a fridge)
- Ask for safety lesson 1- 5 minutes (Thomas)
- Demonstrate single seating- 10 hours (click on a seat)
- Ask for safety lesson 2- 5 minutes (Thomas)
- Send a sim to the park
- Watch the train demonstration- 14 hours 45 minutes (train set in park)
- Ask for safety lesson 3- 5 minutes (send a sim home and find Thomas)
- Stand behind the yellow line- 16 hours 45 minutes (appears at the front of the house you are at)
- Search for the train key- 1 hour 50 minutes (bed)
- Apologise to Thomas- 6 hours 15 minutes
- Give cookies to Thomas- 1 minute (Thomas)
- Ask for final lesson- 5 minutes (Thomas)
- Practice holding on- 1 day (click on Thomas)
- Guess Thomas’s age- 1 hour 15 minutes (I don’t think it matters which one you pick but he does say he is 5 and 3/4 earlier on!)
- Travel on the Simtown Express
QUEST IS COMPLETE!
Now you have completed the quest you can take the Simtown Express to the Downtown Area! 
In the Downtown Area you can find the Hospital, Downtown High School and Penthouse Apartments!
Build the hospital to unlock the medical staff profession career- unsure about professions? Read this post!
Complete the Teacher’s Pet Quest to unlock Downtown High School and complete the Sims and the City Quest to unlock the Penthouse Apartments
Prize: Toddler Train Conductor Outfit 
Where can I find it? In the wardrobe, under outfits for a toddler
Cost? Free
Watch my step by step video of this quest here:
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS QUEST
please read before asking
How do I start this discovery quest?
Build the simtown express to start this quest
Why can’t I do this discovery quest yet?
You cannot do more than one discovery quest at the same time, if you are currently on another one (the list can be found here) you will not be able to do this one until that one is completed
Help! I have built the hospital before the simtown express now I cannot build the simtown express, what should I do?You will need to contact the makers so they can fix this issue for you
Can I do discovery quests at the same time as a main quest?
Yes you can
Do I have to do this quest?
If you don’t start building the simtown express you don’t have to do this quest at all but if you have already started building or started this quest you need to complete it before you can move on to the next quest
I haven’t started this quest yet, will it still be available when I want to do it?
Yes it will be, you can choose to start it whenever you like
I can’t complete the train demonstration, why?
Thomas needs to be at the park to be able to complete this, if he isn’t, go back to the house he was last at, find him and then go back to the park. If he still doesn’t arrive at the park, click on the whistle on the simtracker to bring him there.
What do I get if I complete this quest in the time limit?
Toddler train conductor outfit, the one that Thomas wears in this quest
What happens if I don’t complete in the time limit, can I still finish this quest?
Yes you have to finish it to unlock the downtown area and hospital before you can move onto the next quest
I didn’t complete in the time limit, can I restart the quest?
No, you cannot redo quests
Can I still get the prize if I don’t complete in the time limit?
No, the only way to get the limited time prizes is by completing the quest in the time limit
I don’t like this quest! Can I just skip it?
No, you have to complete this quest before you can move onto the next one now that you have started it, if you don’t start building the simtown express you don’t have to do this quest but once it is built the quest will begin
I don’t understand the Hospital Career, can you help?
This post explains all about Profession Careers so give it a read if you are stuck
Some times are slightly different on my game, why is this?
Times may vary depending on the star rating of the item you are using, as the higher star rating an item has the quicker you will complete a goal
Some times are really off/ different goals show for me, why is this?
This will be because the quest has been updated recently, I try my best to keep these posts up to date but it is difficult as I cannot redo every quest each time the game is updated. If you notice any changes please let me know so I can update the post
Last updated April 2025
FIND THIS POST HELPFUL?
THE SIMS FREEPLAY
©THEGIRLWHOGAMES.BLOG
The Girl Who Games 
Thank you for posting this, been a fan of your blog for a while. Congrats on being part of the beta!
You’re welcome and thanks! 🙂
When will these open to the public? I have tried to update but can’t.
The update is out now
Do you need a toddler for this quest?
No you don’t
HELP! I have the latest update of the game but the icon to build the express isn’t there. What can I do?
thanks, julie >
The latest update is out now, update and you will be able to build the simtown express.
I know I wasn’t supposed to do this but I accidentally built the hospital before the Simtown Express. What do I do? It won’t let me build anything and I don’t want to restart my whole game. Please help.
Please read this page on the Firemonkeys website for information on this issue: https://help.firemonkeys.com.au/hc/en-us/articles/226935468-Unable-to-Access-Downtown-Map-5-24-Hospital-
When does the new update come out? Tomorrow (Sept. 6th)?Thanks for all your posts!!!Ashley
The update is out now. You’re welcome!
What is a Beta version of the game? I don’t have this update yet.
Beta version means that I get access to the new update before it is released so I can create posts ahead of time and not be under a lot of pressure on the day of the release. The update isn’t quite out yet, just keep checking and it should appear soonish!
I am so glad to hear that EA values your contribution to the game community enough to give you early access to this!
🙂
Do you think that they will add more to the downtown? Also, will they maybe have an update where Sims can actually go to the hospital like you mentioned? If you don’t know, its fine 🙂
Hopefully one day they will add more to downtown, who knows when though! And the hospital will probably just always be for professions rather than treating sick sims but you never know what changes they will make to the game in future updates 🙂
Ok, thank you!
I’ve just started this update and a pop-up took me straight to down town where I clicked build hospital immediately. Then I saw your post about this quest afterwards, but I cannot access down town again to cancel the hospital being built because the Expess hasn’t been built yet. Will have to see where that order of progress takes my game!
I have heard of a lot of people having this problem, it definitely is a glitch taking you to downtown before the simtown express is built as there is no way to get back to downtown to finish construction on the hospital. I would suggest you contact EA about this issue, hopefully they will be able to fix it for you!
For some reason I can’t use the train set in the park. Tried different sims (young and old) and nothing. Should I try in the day time?
I think Thomas needs to be there to be able to do this so try sending your sim home, restart your device, then send the adult sim back to the park and click on it again. Hopefully Thomas will be there this time!
How much does it cost to build the hospital
It cost me 1 million simoleons.
I won’t let me click on the train construction. Please help.
What does it say when you try?
I am so disappointed with yet another profession update! I can’t even build the train station because it costs 850,000 and I am saving up for the castle, not for yet another dumb workplace! I don’t know what they were thinking. To make it worse, this update messed up my Sim Tracker and now it doesn’t show any progress for most tasks, it just lookslike they barely started. Maybe it’s time for a break from the game! 😦
Do you think they will release other activities in this new downtown area in the future? Hopefully there will be more to do other than the hospital. What do you think?
Hopefully one day they will, no one knows yet though!
I WAS planning on getting the salon once I saved up enough, but now that the Simtown Express is here for the same amount, I’m not sure… thoughts?
In my view the salon is much better than another profession workplace which is unlocked in downtown when you complete the quest!
Hey weightless magic! I love your blog but I have never had the chance to show my gratitude!
Anyway, after the Sims Freeplay updated on my iPad, things started malfunctioning. As in, whenever my sims finish tasks, on the sim tracker, it doesn’t show the flashing XP thing. And one time, I put one of my sims to “Feed the Deer” (Vacationers Guide to the Outdoors) and I left for a bit, when there were 6 hours left. When I came back, my sim was back in his home, and I had to REDO the task, which sucks because it already takes 15 hours.😔 Ever since I downloaded the game, I’ve never experienced issues with updates. This is a glitch right? And am I the only one experiencing this?
Thanks!
How frustrating! You aren’t the only one having this issue, there is a problem with the simtracker in this latest update but EA are working on a fix so hopefully it will be sorted out soon!
Also, I admire your patience, when people ask questions are sometimes redundant!
🙂
When you downloaded the update on your regular game, did you notice that it didn’t show the progress of tasks? If I go back to my game after a few hours, simtracker doesn’t show that they’ve completed the task – I have to go to each lot with a sim on it to see if they’re done. Have you encountered this glitch at all?
I had this glitch when I first updated, some of my sims stopped their actions but I haven’t had it since but I am aware players are still having this issue but EA are working on a fix for it.
Hello, I just have a question, just got update, but made the mistake to built hospital first before SimExpress, and now I can’t built express, until hospital is complete, do you know what to do?
I have heard of a lot of people having this problem, it definitely is a glitch taking you to downtown before the simtown express is built as there is no way to get back there to finish construction on the hospital. I would suggest you contact EA about this issue, hopefully they will be able to fix it for you!
Thank you 😊
I started building the hospital when downtown showed up … And now I cannot build the train station as “building downtown is going on”… What should I do?
I cannot go downtown to confirm finishing the building so I cannot start building the station to go downtown …
I have heard of a lot of people having this problem, it definitely is a glitch taking you to downtown before the simtown express is built as there is no way to get back there to finish construction on the hospital. I would suggest you contact EA about this issue, hopefully they will be able to fix it for you!
I was instructed to build the hospital in Downtown, before I had a chance to start the train quest. Any idea on how to get to downtown? I can not build the train station until construction on the hospital is complete and finalized.
Great blog by the way 🙂
I have heard of a lot of people having this problem, it definitely is a glitch taking you to downtown before the simtown express is built as there is no way to get back there to finish construction on the hospital. I would suggest you contact EA about this issue, hopefully they will be able to fix it for you!
Thanks!
Hi, I love your blog! I was prompted to build the hospital after the update so I did, but now I do not know how to get downtown to see if it’s finished or even see the downtown area. I can’t start building the sim town express because the hospital is still under construction.
I have heard of a lot of people having this problem, it definitely is a glitch taking you to downtown before the simtown express is built as there is no way to get back there to finish construction on the hospital. I would suggest you contact EA about this issue, hopefully they will be able to fix it for you!
Can i go to downtown area without finish the quest?
No, you need to complete the quest to get to the downtown area using the simtown express.
I am extremely disappointed about this new update.. I haven’t done the quest yet but the thing is, after the update, 1) it cancelled my sims action while on timed quest, 2) it took about 60k of simoleons from my game, and 3) my sims actions and tracker were not synchronized. I tried to contact and report it to Firemonkey but it won’t let me submit a report (the option/link was missing on their page). SMH.
Somehow I was able to build the hospital before the train – now I can’t access either, what do I do???
I have heard of a lot of people having this problem, it definitely is a glitch taking you to downtown before the simtown express is built as there is no way to get back there to finish construction on the hospital. I would suggest you contact EA about this issue, hopefully they will be able to fix it for you!
Hey! I wasn’t sure where I should post this, but I just wanted to let you know that the social point flower now costs 20 life points and the rewards are not as good (I tried it out mainly out of curiosity as to how bad a deal it would be). Two bell pepper gets 3sp, while one of each kind is 7sp. I don’t know why EA made it that way, it doesn’t make much sense to me. Anyways, thanks for your blog, it’s been super helpful!
Hi! This update is now available have you checked it out? Is the time limit really 5 days? 🙂
Yes the time limit is 5 days, so far it looks the same as the beta version but I will update it with any changes as I complete the quest if there are any!
I built the hospital first and now I can’t access the downtown area because I can’t built the simtown express. Any tips? Thanks 💐
I have heard of a lot of people having this problem, it definitely is a glitch taking you to downtown before the simtown express is built as there is no way to get back there to finish construction on the hospital. I would suggest you contact EA about this issue, hopefully they will be able to fix it for you!
I built the hospital first and now I can’t access the downtown area because I can’t built the simtown express. Any tips? Thanks 💐
—-
Thanks for your sweet respond. 🙂
You will need to contact EA about this issue to see if they can fix this for you as I am unable to fix technical issues.
Somehow once I did the update I was able to building the hospital (which automatically popped up) before I built the expressway, now they are saying the hospital is complete but I cannot get to it because the expressway has not been built, and I cannot build the expressway because I can’t get to the hospital to click it to make it legit. Does this make sense and has anyone experienced this problem, and can someone please let me know how to get to the hospital without the expressway pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
I have heard of a lot of people having this problem, it definitely is a glitch taking you to downtown before the simtown express is built as there is no way to get back there to finish construction on the hospital. I would suggest you contact EA about this issue, hopefully they will be able to fix it for you!
Well I need a million bucks to build the sim town express, lol seems like every time I get done building one thing & get money saved up then something new appears! Really think imma build the castle before the express train tho. Long live the sims!
Building the castle first sounds like a good idea 🙂
Hi, I love your blog. Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. I have a question I’m supposed to watch the train demonstration but It won’t let me.
I think Thomas needs to be there to be able to do this so try sending your sim home, restart your device, then send the adult sim back to the park and click on it again. Hopefully Thomas will be there this time!
I can’t find Thomas and therefore he can’t show me the demonstration at the park. What can I do???
Try sending your sim home, restart your device, then send the adult sim back to the park and click on it again. Hopefully Thomas will be there this time!
I can’t make my sim watch train demonstrate. I clicked the bubble, but the sim in the park didn’t take any action. Is there any way I can fix it?
I think Thomas needs to be there to be able to do this so try sending your sim home, restart your device, then send the adult sim back to the park and click on it again. Hopefully Thomas will be there this time!
Hi,
@weightlessmagic
I too have built the hospital first.
I have followed your suggestion and spoke with a man from EA games whose only advice was to uninstall and reinstall the game and log back in and see if it works – if that doesn’t work then add a topic to the EA forum.
How unhelpful! Have you tried what it says on the Firemonkeys website: https://help.firemonkeys.com.au/hc/en-us/articles/226935468-Unable-to-Access-Downtown-Map-5-24-Hospital-
Hi, thanks for the quick reply☺️
Yes, I did some rooting around and found this Webpay. I have filled in the requested information, uploaded latest Save game and am waiting for EA to mod the save to make it work.
If anyone else has the same problems, use the link below, scroll to the bottom of page, click on the grey button marked ‘Technical Support”, and fill in the boxes required.
“Player ID” is found in the “About” section of the game at the very bottom.
“Game Centre Profile ID” I left blank, as it appears to be for Apple/i-phone
“Facebook Profile Link” – click on the “?” on the right of the box, then click on the link written in red text. Copy and paste the webpage address from the page that opens into the box.
Press continue
On the next page all boxes were prefilled for me but the Game Version number was wrong – you can find it where you found your Player I’d in the About section of the game – mine was 5.240 (H9651)
Once you have completed device boxes select “Continue”
On the next screen, on the “Are you having a specific problem” box, I chose the “Unable to access Downtown after building Hospital” from the pull down menu.
Next box I chose “I have a technical issue”
Next box I chose “I am stuck or cannot progress in my game”, then “Continue”
On the next page, “Subject” and “Description” must be filled in. I put “Cannot access Express” for my subject.
Once you are happy, press the submit button and await a message saying you have submitted your request/ ticket etc – I received an email acknowledgement as well.
If you do not get this message you may have missed some information out, just scroll to the bottom of the page and go back through and enter missing information. It does not make it obvious you have made a mistake!
Note. If you do not have an EA account you will need to make one first but it will guide you through the process.
Sit back and wait for EA to mod your Save file (that you must upload within the game, or the last save will be modded and you will loose any progress since last save)
Hopefully it will simply be a matter of downloading the EA modded version of the game once fixed.
I’ll keep you updated, and hopefully this guide will help others
Bit of a strange one, but since the update one of my horses is stuck in a corner of the stable! No idea why or how to get him out, hoping it will fix itself….
Please read this page on the Firemonkeys website about this issue: https://help.firemonkeys.com.au/hc/en-us/articles/225485707
I can’t start the boutique hair event. Its appeared in my active task for days. Tap to continue but nothing happened. I never started the quest before. I’ve all the latest updates. I’m currently doing the Simtown express quest. Do I need to complete it first?
The boutique hair event hasn’t started yet, when it begins a pop up will appear and ask you if you want to partake in it.
It appears in your active tasks right now as it is showing you that it is coming soon so you can be prepared for it
I acidently built the hospital before I built the express and now I can’t go back downtown,does anybody know how to fix it or can anybody tell me how to contact EA for help?
Please read this page on the Firemonkeys website for information on this issue: https://help.firemonkeys.com.au/hc/en-us/articles/226935468-Unable-to-Access-Downtown-Map-5-24-Hospital-
And this post explains how to contact them if you still need to: https://thegirlwhogames.wordpress.com/2016/05/29/the-sims-freeplay-contacting-ea-firemonkeys/
Do you think there will be an update that will fix the hospital glitch? I also built the hospital before the train station. How can I contact EA?
Please read this page on the Firemonkeys website for information on this issue: https://help.firemonkeys.com.au/hc/en-us/articles/226935468-Unable-to-Access-Downtown-Map-5-24-Hospital-
And this post explains how to contact them if you still need to: https://thegirlwhogames.wordpress.com/2016/05/29/the-sims-freeplay-contacting-ea-firemonkeys/
Help help help! I cant watch the train demonstration. …every time i click the watch train demonstration pop up it pops back again 😦 have been trying for 2 days did every thing ….m literally stcuk now 😦
Is Thomas in the park? I believe Thomas needs to be there to be able to complete this task. One player helpfully suggested if he isn’t there open the simtracker and if he is on it click on the whistle to bring him to the park- hopefully that will help!
Some of your readers are asking about why they can’t watch the train demonstration and you suggested that they might need to have Thomas there in the Park. I’m not at that point in the quest yet, so I’m not sure if that’s the case, but I noticed that Thomas is in the Sim Tracker (like Osiris). Players can go to the Park, open the Sim Tracker, and click on the whistle under Thomas’s face to call him to the Park. If Thomas does have to be in the Park for the demonstration, this should help players do that task. I hope this helps.
Just to update, I sent my Sim to the Park and Thomas was already there, so I didn’t need to call him for the demonstration. However, I was able to call him to the Park previously, so it should (hopefully!) work for other players.
It won’t let me click the “watch demonstration” option on this quest? Is this a technical support problem?
Is Thomas in the park? I believe Thomas needs to be there to be able to complete this task. One player helpfully suggested if he isn’t there open the simtracker and if he is on it click on the whistle to bring him to the park- hopefully that will help!
My big problem with the hospital is the same one I have with the movie studio and the police station…once you complete “life dreams and legacies” you end up moving on to senior before you get very far with the job. It is just too time consuming to do only to move on. I actually hate LDAL quest and I wish I hadn’t done it….if it wasn’t for the fact I put some much time and effort isn’t this game I would delete it and start again and never complete LDAL
I keep hearing a random chime, like an alert, since the Downtown upgrade. It happens in work places and homes. It doesn’t seem associated with anything. Is anyone else hearing this and what does it mean?
I haven’t heard this myself but you aren’t the only person who has told me they are experiencing this, hopefully it is just one of those small things that will be fixed in the next update!
I figured it out, it’s from the grandfather clock decoration in homes. You may have it sometimes in your homes but i’m not sure why it is in the workplaces for you. Do they sound like bells? If they do it’s from the grandfather clock.
How long does this quest take
If you do all the goals back to back it would take you 3 days 16 hours 1 minute 48 seconds
Hi, I’m another player with the same problem about the “watch demonstration”… Actually Thomas is disappeared, neither appearing… !
I JUST SOLVED IT: it was not appearing in the simtracker and neither in any place, except the last house where I saw him, it was busy using the stairs. So this is what you have to do:
– Find Thomas in the last place where you saw him
– let him finish the automatic action if he didn’t yet
– you will be hable to find him again in the simtracker and at the park
Thanks for this!
Omg! Thank you so much!!
You’re welcome!
What do I do if built the hospital first
You will need to contact EA about this issue so they can fix it for you.
I was so looking forward to having a hospital and now I can’t even be bothered building it: it cost me 1 million just to build the train I’m not prepared to spend another million on the hospital to end up just wasting my time on more of these stupid careers. I HATE these careers. I just wasted a day and 15 life points trying to get the 20 3D glasses badge because last time my sim had the 20 resources needed it glitched after finishing an action so I couldn’t collect the resources or do anything at all. I logged out, shut down, re-started several times and in the end the on,y way I could get the sim to play again was to cancel the shift, losing everything. That was several shifts ago. I’ve not even come close since then and this time even with life points I still only got 19 glasses, after wasting a whole day on it (multiple whole days, all up). I’m so sick of it. It’s a MASSIVE waste of time, making it so that people have to sacrifice their IRL lives to play your game is so dumb. I’ve been playing Sims Freeplay solidly for two years but this is making me hate it. I’m giving up on the careers now.
I know there’s nothing you can do about it, and I know EA are trying to make people spend real money with them by making things annoying or difficult to complete without doing so, but maybe if enough people complain and stop playing they will realise they are only hurting themselves. Grrrrrrrrr.
My conductor disappeared mid-quest. I’m stuck and I can’t watch the train demonstration. What do I do?
Is he not on the simtracker?
Mine is also missing and not on tracker.
A reader suggested this:
– Find Thomas in the last place where you saw him
– let him finish the automatic action if he didn’t yet
– you will be able to find him again in the simtracker and at the park
This worked for me.
Tiny Conductor is missing?
We are currently aware of a Known Issue where the Tiny Conductor character may appear to be missing in your game when trying to complete the SimTown Express Quest. You may be unable to complete the quest because of this.
In order to fix this issue, please try:
Returning to your Sim’s house
Go back to the park, and search for Thomas the Tiny Conductor inside the park
Go back to another house,
Repeat this process a few times until you find Thomas there.
Regards,
Firemonkeys Support Team
How come you have 98 million simoleans and 176k LPs? Omg, Ive been playing for more than three years now but all I have is 3M and 95 lps. it’s impossible to think that you just earned most of that from just cooking and sending sims to jobs. Teach me your ways please !! unless you do online purchase
I don’t! That is the beta version, I had access to it so I could create the post before the update was released.