Ticket to Ride Rules: Complete Gameplay Guide (Base Game)

Objective

Score the most points by claiming routes between cities and completing Destination Tickets. Game ends when a player has ≤2 trains left; everyone gets one final turn.

Setup (2–5 Players)

1. Place map board (USA or Europe/other map).
2. Each player: 45 colored trains, scoring marker on 0.
3. Shuffle Train Car cards → deal 4 face-up (market), rest = draw deck.
4. Shuffle Destination Tickets → deal 3 to each. Keep ≥2 (discard unwanted face-down).
5. Place Longest Continuous Path card (10 pts) aside.

Turn Structure (One Action Per Turn)

Option A: Draw Train Car Cards

• Take 2 cards from: face-up market (replace immediately) AND/OR top of deck (blind).
• Locomotive (Wild) rule: If taken from face-up, it's your only card that turn. Blind draw can be 2nd card.
• If 3+ Locomotives appear in market → discard all 5, deal 5 new.

Option B: Claim a Route

• Play matching color cards = route length (gray = any color, all same).
• Place your trains on route; discard played cards.
• Score immediately per route length:

  Length	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
  Points	1	2	4	7	10	15	18	21

• Double routes (2 parallel lines): Only 1 claimable in 2–3 player games; both in 4–5 player.

Option C: Draw Destination Tickets

• Draw 3 tickets from deck; keep at least 1.
• Discarded tickets → bottom of ticket deck.
• Can be done any turn (even first).

Scoring (End Game)

• Route points: Already scored during play.
• Completed Tickets: +Points on card (city A connected to city B via your routes).
• Incomplete Tickets: −Points on card.
• Longest Continuous Path: +10 to player with longest single unbroken train line (loops count; branches don't extend). Tie = both get 10.

Key Strategic Rules

• No backtracking: Can't reuse a route segment.
• Blocking: Claim routes opponents need — legal, expected, often decisive.
• Hand limit: None (but drawing Locomotive from face-up limits you to 1 card).
• Destination secrecy: Keep tickets hidden until scoring.

Map-Specific Variants (Brief)

• Europe: Ferries (require Locomotives), Tunnels (risk extra cards), Stations (use opponent's route 1×/game).
• First Journey (Kids): Simplified map, 6-train win condition, no tickets.
• Nordic, Germany, UK, Asia, Africa, Old West: Each adds 1–2 unique mechanics (ferries, tunnels, passengers, technology cards).

Expansions That Change Core Rules

• 1910 (USA): Larger cards, 35 new tickets, "Mega Game" variant (all tickets), "Big Cities" variant.
• 1912 (Europe): Warehouses, depots, new tickets.
• Alvin & Dexter (Promo): Monster meeples block/protect cities.

Pro tip: In 2-player, use the "Dummy Player" variant (BGG) or play Ticket to Ride: New York / London / Amsterdam (15-min, tight maps). Base game 2-player is loose.