Ticket to Ride

The Basics
Description: With elegantly simple game play, Ticket to Ride can be learned in 3 minutes, while providing players with intense strategic and tactical decisions every turn.

"The rules are simple enough to write on a train ticket – each turn you either draw more cards, claim a route, or get additional Destination Tickets," says Ticket to Ride author, Alan R. Moon. "The tension comes from being forced to balance greed – adding more cards to your hand, and fear – losing a critical route to a competitor."

Goal: Players collect cards of various types of train cars they then use to claim railway routes in North America. The longer the routes, the more points they earn. Additional points come to those who fulfill Destination Tickets – goal cards that connect distant cities; and to the player who builds the longest continuous route.

Game Components: Ticket to Ride continues in the tradition of Days of Wonder's big format board games featuring high-quality illustrations and components including: an oversize board map of North America, 225 custom-molded train cars, 144 illustrated cards, and wooden scoring markers.

How to Play

• Days of Wonder (Official Video)
• Spielezeit (Quick Power Point)
• Boardgames with Scott (Video)
  
• Mr Bass (Web Instructions)
• Days of Wonder (Rulebook)
  

Where to Play Online:

• Days Of Wonder (Free – Registration Required)

Cheat Sheets: (on the Geek)

• One Page Cheat Sheet (Downloads a pdf)
  
• Strategy Guide (Downloads a pdf)
  

Game Hints

• Basic Strategy: Thread 142743 at the Geek
  
• My Tips: At first, take fewer routes, save your cards, and build long routes.

Views

• Opinion: I really enjoy Ticket to Ride (all versions of it). I would even say it’s the king of all Gateway Games. It can easily be played at anytime, by anyone.
• Online: Works fine online
• Work: Should be fine after for lunch time play.
• Home: Great game, easy to play.

Other Info

• Plays best with: 4 players, but 3 and 5 are fine, but I like it best at 4.
  
• Gateway Suitability: None Gamers love the game pieces, and the easy to learn system.
• Spouse Suitability: Scared at first, but loves playing it. Compared it to Rummy.
• Re-playability: High Replay value. Easy to learn and play, leads to regular table action (or online action) for gamer and non-gamer.
  
• Real Life Setup: 2-5Minutes
• Real Life Time/Length: 45 Minutes (15 online)
• Geek Link: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/9209