--- title: "Deploy Factorio" description: "Self-hosted Factorio headless server — 24/7 world, persistent saves, RCON" category: "Other" url: https://railway.com/deploy/factorio --- # Deploy Factorio Self-hosted Factorio headless server — 24/7 world, persistent saves, RCON **[Deploy Factorio on Railway](https://railway.com/template/factorio)** - **Creator:** INAPP - **Category:** Other ## Template content ### factorio - **Source:** https://github.com/INAPP-Mobile/factorio - **Start command:** `/usr/local/bin/railway-entrypoint.sh` - **Health check:** / - **Public domain:** Yes ## Documentation # Factorio — Headless Server on Railway [![Deploy to Railway](https://railway.app/button.svg)](https://railway.com/deploy/factorio) > Factorio is a paid game. Each player who joins your server needs their own > Factorio license. This template only runs the headless server binary — players > connect from their own desktop client. This template deploys the official `factoriotools/factorio:2.0.77` headless container on Railway, with a persistent volume for save files, mods, and config. Optimized for low-RAM 24/7 sticky hosting. # Deploy and Host Deploy with one click. On first boot the container: 1. Mounts the persistent Railway volume at `/factorio` (saves, config, mods survive redeploys). 2. Generates a random **RCON password** and writes it to `/factorio/config/rconpw`. 3. Copies the default `server-settings.json`, `map-gen-settings.json`, and `map-settings.json` from the image. 4. Creates a new save if `GENERATE_NEW_SAVE=true` (otherwise loads the most recent save in `/factorio/saves`, or refuses to start if `LOAD_LATEST_SAVE=false`). 5. Starts the game on UDP 8080 (game traffic) and TCP 27015 (RCON admin). UDP 8080 is shared with the HTTP health server (socat listens on TCP 8080 — the two protocols coexist because they don't collide). Players connect from Factorio's **Multiplayer → Connect to address** screen using your Railway service's public address. The RCON port lets you run admin commands from any RCON client (e.g. [rcon-cli](https://github.com/gorcon/rcon-cli)). ## About Hosting - **Single service**, official `factoriotools/factorio:2.0.77` image — no source build, 132 MB cold start plus ~700 KB for `socat` (used for the HTTP health server). - **Persistent Railway volume** at `/factorio` (saves, mods, config, RCON password, logs). - **Game port** UDP 8080 + **RCON port** TCP 27015. UDP 8080 is reachable directly at `.up.railway.app:8080/udp`; RCON is on the same host on TCP 27015 (use the Railway TCP proxy or run `rcon-cli` from a sidecar — see [Connecting](#connecting)). - **Default resource**: 1 vCPU / 1 GB RAM. Factorio headless with 8–10 players runs fine in 512 MB; 1 GB is comfortable headroom. - **HTTP healthcheck endpoint** at `GET /` (returns `200 ok`) so Railway's HTTP-only healthcheck can verify the container is up. Implemented as a tiny `socat` listener on the Railway-injected `PORT` (default 8080) — see `health.sh`. - **Runs as root** so the upstream entrypoint can chown the Railway-managed volume to the `factorio` user, then drops to that user before exec. ## Why Deploy Self-hosting a Factorio server means your factory keeps running between sessions — your conveyor belts keep churning, your trains keep rolling, your research queue keeps advancing. Railway's sticky deployment means no surprise reboots when traffic is low: the container stays warm and your world stays live. ## Dependencies for factorio This template is self-contained — no external database or companion service is required. ### Deployment Dependencies | Dependency | Required | Purpose | |---|---|---| | `factoriotools/factorio:2.0.77` image | Yes | Official headless server binary | | Railway persistent volume at `/factorio` | Yes | Saves, mods, config, RCON password survive redeploys | | UDP 8080 | Yes | Game traffic (TCP 8080 on the same number serves the HTTP healthcheck) | | TCP 27015 | Optional | RCON admin access (expose via a Railway TCP proxy) | ## Common Use Cases - **24/7 factory** — the world keeps simulating between sessions: research, trains, and belts keep moving while you're away. - **Persistent multiplayer worlds** — saves survive redeploys; friends join at `
:8080` from the vanilla client. - **Modded servers** — drop mod zips into `/factorio/mods`, optionally auto-update on every boot. - **RCON automation** — script whitelists, bans, saves, and chat over TCP 27015. ## Configuration Most configuration is via the upstream image's env vars. See `.env.example` for the full list. The most useful: | Variable | Default | Purpose | |---|---|---| | `SAVE_NAME` | *(empty)* | Load a specific save. Empty = load most recent. | | `LOAD_LATEST_SAVE` | `true` | Auto-load the most recent save in `/factorio/saves` | | `GENERATE_NEW_SAVE` | `false` | Create a new timestamped save on boot | | `UPDATE_MODS_ON_START` | `false` | Re-download mods listed in `mod-list.json` on every boot | **Server identity, password, max players, visible-in-browser, etc.** are all in `/factorio/config/server-settings.json`, which the image copies from its default on first boot. **Edit that file directly** via the volume after first deploy, or rebuild the image with a baked-in `server-settings.json`. The **RCON password** lives at `/factorio/config/rconpw` (auto-generated on first boot). Read it back from the volume to use it; the upstream entrypoint won't overwrite it on subsequent boots. ## Connecting Once the service is up: 1. **Get your address** from the Railway service panel (e.g. `factorio-production-xxxx.up.railway.app`). 2. **In Factorio**, click **Multiplayer → Connect to address** and paste `:8080`. Factorio auto-appends `:34197` if you leave it off — **edit the port to 8080** before clicking Connect. The transport is UDP (default). 3. If your `server-settings.json` has a `password` field, enter it when prompted. 4. **For RCON admin commands**: RCON runs on TCP 27015 inside the container. Railway does **not** auto-proxy arbitrary TCP ports. The simplest access path is to add a **TCP proxy** service to the same project pointing at the Factorio service's RCON port, then point your RCON client (e.g. [rcon-cli](https://github.com/gorcon/rcon-cli)) at the TCP proxy's hostname:port with the password from `/factorio/config/rconpw` (read it from the volume). Alternatively, exec into the running container via the Railway shell and use `nc` locally. > The Railway HTTP domain (e.g. `https://.up.railway.app/`) returns `200 ok` — that's the healthcheck responder. There's no web UI; the game port is what players connect to. ## Custom Maps / Saves To upload a custom save: 1. Use the Railway dashboard's volume access (or shell) to drop a `*.zip` file into `/factorio/saves/`. 2. Set `SAVE_NAME=your-save` (no extension) and redeploy. The upstream entrypoint loads the save whose name matches `SAVE_NAME`, or, if that's empty, the most recently modified save in the directory. ## Mods Drop `.zip` mod files into `/factorio/mods/` (via the volume or shell). Optionally create a `mod-list.json` and set `UPDATE_MODS_ON_START=true` to auto-download mod versions on every boot. ## Common Operations | Goal | How | |---|---| | Read the auto-generated RCON password | `cat /factorio/config/rconpw` via the Railway volume | | Change server name | Edit `/factorio/config/server-settings.json` (or rebuild with a baked-in file) | | Add a player slot | Edit `max_players` in `server-settings.json` | | Whitelist a player | RCON: `/whitelist add ` | | Ban a player | RCON: `/ban ` | | Save the world now | RCON: `/server-save` | | Roll back to a previous save | Drop the old `*_x.zip` file into `/factorio/saves` and set `SAVE_NAME` to its base name | | Reset the world | `rm /factorio/saves/*.zip`, set `GENERATE_NEW_SAVE=true`, redeploy | ## Cost A 1 GB / 1 vCPU Factorio server running 24/7 on Railway's Hobby plan costs roughly **$5–8/month** (Railway charges by usage, and a 24/7 game server can't idle). This template is sized to the 1 GB tier because Factorio's "minimum" is 1 GB and most players want headroom — drop to 512 MB in the service settings if you want to optimize. ## License Factorio itself is proprietary software by Wube Software. This template only runs the headless server binary distributed in the official `factoriotools/factorio` Docker image; you must own a Factorio license to use it.
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