Release train
A fixed, recurring schedule for releasing product increments, most associated with SAFe's Agile Release Train concept for coordinating multiple teams.
What it means
A release train is not part of the Scrum Guide; it comes from the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), where an Agile Release Train (ART) aligns multiple Scrum Teams around a shared cadence, typically a Program Increment of several Sprints.
The train departs on schedule regardless of whether every feature is fully ready, similar to how a Sprint has a fixed length. Unfinished work rides the next train rather than delaying the whole release.
Common mistakes
This predictability helps large organizations coordinate dependencies across many teams, at the cost of the flexibility a single small Scrum Team enjoys with its own Sprint cadence.
Example
Twelve teams align to a 10-week Program Increment on the same Agile Release Train, synchronizing planning and releases.