Hell on Wheels returned to AMC last 18 July 2015 and announced that the fifth and final season will be composed of 14 episodes. As AMC's traditional way of concluding male-powered series (such as Mad Men and Breaking Bad), Hell on Wheels Season Finale will be divided into two halves over a year: the first seven episodes now ongoing; final seven episodes is scheduled to air in the summer of 2016. The series is created by Joe Gayton and Tony Gayton, directed by Billy Giehart.

AMC president Charlie Collier thanked the loyal viewers, talented cast, crew, and writers for the commitment and promised to honor the show by giving viewers a great ending on Cullen Bohannon Wild West journey.

First half of the final season of Hell on Wheels, Season 5 digs more on the continuing battle between the Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads on the railroad supremacy. Cullen Bohannon and his crew visit the Central Pacific Railroads. Instigated to accomplish the first Transcontinental Railroad, Cullen has to survive the language, cultural, and traditional barriers of the thousands of Chinese workers. According to ScreenCrush:

"Cullen Bohannon (Anson Mount) finds himself a stranger in a strange land - the mountain town of Truckee, Calif., home to the Central Pacific Railroad. This rough railroad town teems with thousands of Chinese workers, foreign in language, culture and traditions.

Despite the challenges of corralling his new workforce, Cullen leads the Herculean effort to tunnel through the Sierra Nevada Mountains, sometimes achieving only inches a day in the race to complete the first Transcontinental Railroad."

The show stars Colm Meaney, Phil Burke, Robin McLeavy, Dohn Norwood, Christopher Heyerdahl, MacKenzie Porter, Jake Weber, Jennifer Ferrin, Chelah Horsdal, Kasha Kropinski, Tayden Marks and Common. Entertainment One and Nomadic Pictures produced the show. Developed by Endemol USA for television.