How to play Ticket to Ride

The objective

Your goal is simple: claim railway routes and complete destination tickets for the most points. This guide uses the most common beginner-friendly rules. Families and groups may agree on variations before starting.

What you need

A Ticket to Ride board, train cards, destination tickets, and colored trains.

How to set up

1. Give each player trains, cards, and destination tickets.
2. Reveal five train cards beside the draw deck.

How to play: step by step

1. On a turn, draw train cards, claim one route, or draw destination tickets.
2. Spend matching cards to claim a route.
3. Connect the cities shown on kept destination tickets.
4. Add route and ticket points at the end.

Beginner strategies

• Collect flexible locomotive cards.
• Secure bottleneck routes early.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Taking destination tickets with no realistic connection.
• Waiting too long to claim an essential route.

Frequently asked questions