Ticket to Ride Complete Guide: Train Route Board Game

Ticket to Ride is an award-winning train route building board game where players collect train cards to claim railway routes across North America. Designed by Alan R. Moon, it has sold over 10 million copies and won the prestigious Spiel des Jahres (Game of the Year) in 2004. It is considered one of the best gateway board games ever made.

Game Components

What's in the Box

• 1 game board — map of North America with railway routes
• 240 colored train cars (45 per player in 5 colors)
• 110 train car cards (plus 14 locomotive/wild cards)
• 30 destination ticket cards
• 1 scoring marker per player
• Designed for 2-5 players (best with 3-5)
• Typical game duration 45-60 minutes

How to Play

Setup

1. Each player receives 45 train cars in their chosen color.
2. Deal 4 train car cards to each player.
3. Place 5 train car cards face-up next to the board.
4. Deal 3 destination tickets to each player — each player must keep at least 2.

Taking a Turn

On your turn, choose one of three actions:

1. Draw Train Car Cards

• Draw 2 cards from the face-up display OR the draw pile.
• Face-up locomotives (wild) count as 2 draws — if you pick one up, your turn ends immediately.
• After drawing, refill the face-up display from the draw pile.
• If the face-up display ever has 3 locomotives, discard all 5 cards and reveal 5 new ones.

2. Claim a Route

• Play a set of matching train car cards equal to the route length.
• Place your train cars on the route.
• Score points immediately based on route length:

• Gray routes: Can be claimed with any single color.
• Double routes: On 2-3 player games, only one of the parallel routes can be claimed.
• Ferry routes (show locomotive symbols): Require at least that many locomotive/wild cards as part of the set.

3. Draw Destination Tickets

• Draw 3 new destination tickets.
• You must keep at least 1 (return the others to the bottom of the deck).
• Each destination ticket shows two cities — if you connect them with your routes, you score bonus points. If not, you lose those points at the end.

Game End

The game ends when any player has 2 or fewer train cars remaining:

1. That player gets one more turn.
2. Every other player gets one final turn.
3. Calculate final scores:
   • Base score from claimed routes (already counted during play)
   • Destination tickets: Points shown on completed tickets (positive), minus points on uncompleted tickets
   • Longest Continuous Path bonus: The player with the longest continuous route earns 10 bonus points

Strategy Tips

1. Plan Routes Early

• Look at your destination tickets and identify the key routes you need.
• Claim critical routes before opponents block you — some cities have only one connection.
• The most contested routes in the US map are around Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Nashville.

2. Claim Long Routes First

• Longer routes score exponentially more points:
  • 2 trains = 2 points (1 per train)
  • 6 trains = 15 points (2.5 per train)
• A single 6-train route is worth more than three 2-train routes.
• Prioritize claiming 5- and 6-length routes early.

3. Block Strategically

• If you see an opponent heading toward a city you need, claim that route first.
• Blocking costs you a turn but can delay opponents by 2-3 turns.
• In a 2-player game, blocking is critical — there is only one of each double route.

4. Manage Destination Tickets

• Do not draw too many tickets — each uncompleted ticket costs you points.
• Only take new tickets that overlap with routes you already have.
• Ideal: new tickets that share cities with your existing tickets.
• Never draw tickets late in the game unless you have spare trains.

5. Watch the Train Supply

• When any player has 2 or fewer trains, the game is almost over.
• Make sure your critical routes are claimed before the endgame trigger.
• Count your remaining trains and plan your last 3-4 moves.

6. Color Concentration

• Focus on collecting 2-3 colors rather than trying to collect everything.
• Having 6 red cards is more useful than having 2 each of red, blue, green.
• Gray routes let you use any single color — save your concentrated color for colored routes.

Game Variations

Ticket to Ride Europe (2005)

• Map of Europe with additional mechanics
• Tunnels: Pay cards, then draw 3 from deck — each match costs an extra card
• Stations: Spend a station to use one opponent's route
• Ferries: Require specific locomotive cards
• Often considered the best version for experienced players

Ticket to Ride Nordic Countries (2009)

• Map of Scandinavia optimized for 2-3 players
• More route density and tighter competition
• Shorter routes and faster gameplay

Ticket to Ride Rails & Sails (2017)

• World map with both ships and trains
• Two types of transportation cards
• Double-sided board (world map + Great Lakes)
• Supports up to 6 players

Ticket to Ride First Journey

• Simplified version for ages 6+
• Shorter routes, simpler tickets
• Games last 15-30 minutes

Game History

Origins

• Designed by Alan R. Moon and published by Days of Wonder in 2004
• Moon spent years developing the game, inspired by a cross-country train trip
• Earlier prototypes were more complex — Moon refined it to create the perfect gateway game

Awards and Recognition

• Won the Spiel des Jahres (Germany's Game of the Year) in 2004
• Won the Origins Award for Best Board Game
• Named to the BoardGameGeek Hall of Fame
• Won the Diana Jones Award for excellence in gaming

Global Phenomenon

• Over 10 million copies sold worldwide
• Translated into 30+ languages
• Available in digital versions on PC, mobile, and consoles
• Competitive online tournaments held worldwide
• Over 20 map expansions and versions published

Statistics

• Designed for 2-5 players (best with 3-5)
• 240 train cars (45 per player)
• 110 train car cards + 14 locomotives
• 30 destination tickets
• Over 10 million copies sold worldwide
• Won Spiel des Jahres 2004
• 30+ language editions
• Typical game duration 45-60 minutes
• Suitable for ages 8 and up
• Route scoring: 1 to 15 points per route
• Longest Path bonus: 10 points
• Uncompleted tickets lose points
• Game ends when a player has 2 or fewer trains
• 3 actions per turn: draw cards, claim route, or draw tickets
• Designed by Alan R. Moon
• Published by Days of Wonder
• Over 20 map editions (Europe, Asia, Africa, etc.)

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