Ticket to Ride
$49.99
Ticket to Ride at a Glance
| Game Type Train Theme, Card Drafting, Network and Route Building | Play Time 60 mins | Skill/Complexity (2 - 5) Light to Medium |
| Age 8+ | Publisher(s) Days of Wonder | Published 2004 |
| Categories Family / Strategy | Players 2 - 5 | Rules Manual Official Rules PDF |
| Our Rating 9/10 | Cost $49.99 |
About – Description
Ticket to ride was created by Alan R. Moon and released in 2004. It has been created for players over 8 years old and is suitable for up to five players, although it is best played with four players.
It takes up to 60 minutes to play, making it the ideal choice for families.
Who’s it best suited for?
The game is suited for families as it is suitable for players of a young age and it could be considered to be an educational game due to the way in which smart decisions need to be made.
I imagine anyone that train spots or loves train journeys would naturally enjoy playing a Ticket to Ride. Of course being a train lover is an advantage, however, it’s how the game is played out and continues to play out that’s attracted all types of players around the world.
Skill – Complexity
Ticket to Ride requires players to select cards and so, there is not a significant amount of skill required to play the game. However, while it is not considered to be a complex game, it does require tactics and strategic decisions to be made along the way.
Gameplay and How to Play Basics
Set up of the game is simple and takes less than five minutes. In the box are cards and train pieces which are used as markers for the different routes.
Each player takes a set of colored train cards and a matching scorer, while the train cards need to be shuffled, with four cards being given to each player as well as three destination tickets.
Each ticket shows two destinations, the players then have to choose which two they want to connect by keeping two of the cards.
For each turn, the players can then either draw two railway cards from the draw piles, draw three additional destination cards and keep at least one or play the railway cards that they had in their hand in order to claim a route. The player can then claim a route that has not been claimed.
The game finishes when one player has two or less of their colored train pieces remaining. At this point, each player has one more turn and they then reveal their hidden destination tickets. If they have connected their destinations then they will receive more point, for those that have incomplete routes points are deducted.
Versions – Editions
The game has been released in a number of countries around the world and there have been editions released including the 10th Anniversary Edition. There have been expansions released for many cities and other destinations around the world including the Antarctica and Canada as well as Winnie the Pooh and Halloween themed expansions.
Likes & Dislikes
- Great theme.
- Excellent gateway game.
- Nicely paced and fun.
- Interactive.
- Quality components and artwork.
- Not as good played with 2 – 3 players.
Players appreciate the concept behind the game and the fact that it can be learned quickly and easily.
Some have called it the beginner level for those who want to get into serious board games. The level of tactics and strategy required seem just about right and it is suitable for all family members.
Final Thoughts
This is a serious award-winning game and is a great introduction for many. It has plenty of action and new players are kept excited by the tension it creates.
Gameplay time is perfect and with a simple set up it is ideal to play when you need to fill some time.
It’s a hard game to have any complaints about.
