How it works
Choose a layout that matches the stage of your factory and your preferred logistics. Each stage in the walkthrough below has a distinct practical objective; complete the current supply or control loop before expanding it.
Practical advice
A bus is a shared corridor of raw and intermediate materials from which production blocks branch. It simplifies early debugging because missing items can be traced to a few clear lanes.
Mistakes to avoid
Never assume an unrelated blueprint or another version of Factorio has identical recipes, technology unlocks or machine ratios. Use the checkpoints in this guide to diagnose your own save.
Main bus versus city blocks: complete walkthrough
Understand the main bus
A bus is a shared corridor of raw and intermediate materials from which production blocks branch. It simplifies early debugging because missing items can be traced to a few clear lanes.
Choose what belongs on the bus
Iron, copper, circuits and some other intermediates may warrant dedicated belts. Do not add every item simply because a blueprint does; use measured consumption to choose lanes.
Reserve space
Leave lateral room for extra lanes and branch-off structures. Keep smelting and refinery districts accessible for future expansion without tearing through unrelated assemblers.
Know when trains help
If distant ore outposts and large specialized factories dominate the base, train-linked modules or city blocks can reduce long bus runs. They cost rail signals and station planning.
Migrate gradually
Move one high-volume consumer at a time to a dedicated module. Protect science continuity while changing logistics, and keep clear naming across stations and blueprints.