Ticket to Ride Strategy: Player Guide & Top Tips to Beat the Game

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A guide to understanding Ticket to Ride’s gameplay and winning the game as quickly as possible
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Looking to become a master of playing Ticket to Ride ? This popular board game combines strategy with the luck of the draw—but luckily, there are plenty of ways to win. If you want to learn how to strategize and develop a strong, hard-to-beat game plan, you’ve come to the right place! Read on for a comprehensive guide to all the best Ticket to Ride gameplay strategies, so you can start winning games and surprising your fellow players!

Things You Should Know

  • Build a long, high-value train route and pick up several smaller ticket routes that connect or are part of the longer one.
  • Spend a few rounds collecting nothing but train cards. Then, when you have a wide variety collected, you can claim whole routes at a time.
  • Draw from the facedown pile whenever possible and play trains in different spaces across the board to hide your intentions from other players.
  • Grab several new tickets towards the end of the game to try and get some last-minute routes completed.


Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Choosing Tickets & Routes

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  1. Ticket to Ride has 30 possible train routes to develop, but some offer more points for completion than others. Start learning the most pointy-heavy routes; this helps you pick the best ones for yourself and identify when other players are trying to score major points through a big route. [1]
    • The highest-scoring routes are Seattle to New York (22 points), Los Angeles to New York (21 points), Los Angeles to Miami (20 points), and Vancouver to Montreal (20 points).
    • The next-highest routes after that are Portland to Nashville (17 points), San Francisco to Atlanta (17 points), and Los Angeles to Chicago (16 points).
    • Pay special attention to the routes leading into New York and Los Angeles since there are multiple tickets that begin and end there.
  2. It’s a good idea to choose a single long, point-heavy route (like one of the routes above) at the start of the game based on the tickets you’re dealt. Once you have it, start collecting smaller routes that would be easy to complete in the process of building out the bigger one. [2]
    • For example, if your long route is New York to Los Angeles, you could try to snag Pittsburgh to Denver, too—it’s a smaller route that works with the big one because it’s on the way!
    • It’s important to complete one high-value ticket destination because they allow you to control more territory, connect smaller routes, and earn the “Longest Route” bonus card.
    • The most overlapping routes are on the east coast and in the middle of the map.
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  3. Just as it’s important to keep smaller routes that work cohesively with a bigger route, there’s no need to keep completely unrelated routes. For example, if a couple of your tickets go well together, but the third is in a completely different spot on the board, get rid of it and look for something better. [3]
    • You’ll be dealt 3 ticket cards before the game, and that’s when you can decide which ones work and discard the one you don’t want. Once you accept a ticket, you can’t discard it later, so think carefully!
    • Keep the destination tickets you can reasonably finish. Don’t try to overextend yourself by finishing a whole pack of high-value tickets; a bunch of smaller routes can be just as helpful!
  4. As the game starts winding down, you’ve hopefully finished all the existing tickets in your hand and have a bunch of train cards left to spend! When you get to that point, spend a couple of turns picking up new tickets and see if you find any shorter routes that you’ve already started and can easily complete. [4]
    • Even if you pick up longer high-value tickets, check to see if you have any smaller routes to help you connect the dots.
    • This is especially helpful if you’re lagging behind in terms of points by the end of the game. Start grabbing tickets and find routes to complete at the last minute!
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Train Cards

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  1. At the beginning of the game, it’s a little soon to know exactly what train colors you’ll want, so spend some time picking up whatever you can from the facedown draw pile. Once you have a decent collection of train cards, you can start comparing them to your tickets and determine which colors will be most useful to you. [5]
    • Remember: as you play, there's no limit to the cards you can carry in your hand—so go to town!
    • By building up train cards over several turns, you’ll also be in the perfect position to start laying down whole sections of the train tracks at once.
  2. Another (slightly devious) strategy is to choose a particular train color and start collecting it whenever you see it in the face-up card pile. Always choose this color, even if there’s another one in the pile you could use. This tactic allows you to start a monopoly on a color—and stop other players from getting it. [6]
    • This is more effective in a 2 or 3-player game because the face-up card pile is replenished less often, so it’s harder for other players to catch onto what you’re doing.
    • Track the number of each color card you see in the face-up cards as well. That way, you’ll know how likely it is to draw each color.
  3. While the face-up pile is useful for color-hoarding, the facedown pile allows you to collect wild and colored train cards simultaneously. Plus, when other players can’t see the cards you’re drawing, it’s harder for them to catch onto your strategy—which puts you in a stronger position to win the game. [7]
    • Wild cards can be played as any train color, so they come in handy when you’re a card short of what you need to complete a set of train cards.
    • Remember that wild cards have to be played in a group of cards that are all the same color; you can’t use them when playing multiple different-colored trains.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Train Placement

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  1. When you’re building a long train route, the last thing you need is for someone to steal a key section out from under you! Find the easily blocked routes that are also vital to success and place trains there first. Most key routes are small and easy to grab, but that means your opponents could snag them too. [8]
    • For example, a small grey section of track (Houston to New Orleans) is especially important if you're trying to complete the Los Angeles to Miami route. It’s easy to get, but there’s no easy detour if someone else steals it.
    • Grey routes are prime targets because any color can be played there. If you see one that you need, grab it!
  2. Some cities have plenty of routes coming into them and leaving them (like Pittsburgh, with 7 connections, including 2 double-routes), while others don’t. If your planned routes hinge on accessing a city that only has 2 connecting routes, place trains there to claim them as fast as you can.
    • For example, there are only 2 single tracks going in and out of Las Vegas, which means the first person to that city pretty much controls it. Swoop in and grab it before someone else does!
  3. To get extra points for completing a ticket at the end of the game, you need to build the route from start to finish. That’s why it’s also important to place trains in the starting city and destination as early as possible—to ensure that someone else doesn’t beat you to it.
    • The hidden advantage of this strategy is the element of surprise. Placing trains on opposite ends of the board makes your opponents less likely to determine which route you want.
  4. A linear path can be a dead giveaway when the goal is not to let other players know what you’re planning. Rather than building your route from start to finish, place trains somewhere in the middle of the map before connecting them to either destination. That way, you’re building a continuous track without making it obvious. [9]
  5. After spending several turns gathering train cards (as outlined above), it’s time to play them! Now that you have a lot of trains saved up, you can spend the next few turns just laying down trains and completing stretches of track. When you do it all at once, your opponents won’t have as much of a chance to stop you. [10]
    • This is also why playing trains in different spaces (rather than in a line) is helpful; when other players figure out what you’re doing, it’ll be too late, and you’ll have an entire route blocked off.
  6. Even if you don’t have a ticket, you can score a ton of points by placing your trains along a route section that links 6 trains since each train is worth 2.5 points (as opposed to their 1-point value on a 1 or 2-train route). That means a 6-train section is worth 15 points, which is more than the majority of the tickets in the game are worth. [11]
    EXPERT TIP

    Ashton Wu

    Board Game Expert
    Ashton Wu is a Board Game expert at Shelfside. After delving into the Yugioh tournament community while growing up, Ashton launched himself into the board gaming community in 2014 and went into reviewing board games as a career full-time in 2019. His YouTube channel Shelfside has over 35K subscribers and over 4 million views, assisted by written reviews on the Shelfside website and BoardGameGeek.com. He also consults with gaming companies to build high-quality gaming products. Ashton is a tournament commentator, board game playthrough director, and host of the Shelfside Podcast, where he talks about board games with his business partner, Daniel. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics at the University of California, Santa Barbara, in addition to the Technology Management Certificate.
    Ashton Wu
    Board Game Expert

    Your strategic plan should focus on the long-term goal. Don't unnecessarily block your opponents early on, as doing so will leave you vulnerable and not offer many points. Instead, collect train cards patiently to build a larger pool of options. This will allow you to make a powerful late-game surge by claiming long routes.

  7. The more players you have in Ticket to Ride, the more crowded the game board gets. Thankfully, there’s an easy way to foil everyone else’s plans: build a zig-zagging path of trains across the board rather than a relatively straightforward one. A twisting path is more likely to get in the way of other people’s routes!
    • This is also helpful because a zig-zagging path is longer than a straight one—which puts you in the running for the longest route in the game.
    • You’ll also have more opportunities to pick up smaller ticket routes and complete them when your trains are spread out this way.
  8. Having a plan is great, but it’s important to remember that other people are doing the same thing—and you never know what cards you’ll pick! If your original plan isn’t working out, you’re not drawing the right colors, or a player blocks you, it’s okay to change gear after a few turns and try something new. [12]
    • You’re actually boxing yourself in when you plan too far ahead. Having a few routes in mind is okay, but you don’t need to chart out the whole game in the first round.
    • Wait for a few rounds before putting your plan into motion. Even if you have a foolproof plot to win the game, you don’t want anyone else to figure it out! You might also get a better idea if you see what others are doing.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Managing Information

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  1. Which trains are they looking for in the face-up pile? Which areas of the board do they look at repeatedly or seem to be building trains on the most? Do they ever seem disappointed at another player’s actions? By observing them on their turns, you can deduce your opponent’s strategy and overall goals for the game. [13]
    • By studying other players, you can also get an idea of what you shouldn’t do. After all, you don’t want an accidental tell that clues everyone into your plan!
  2. Sometimes, masking your intentions isn’t enough, and it’s helpful to trick other players actively. Pretend to focus on a city that you don’t need; look at that side of the board often and feign disappointment when someone else goes there. Everyone will think they know your plan—and you’ll surprise them when you do something else.
    • Just remember not to overdo your acting! An exaggerated reaction might tip them off that you’re faking it. Be subtle and act like you don’t even realize what you’re doing.
  3. Calculating each player's current score and status ensures you’re never taken by surprise. Are they closer to finishing than you? Or are they falling behind? When you don’t keep an eye on the scores, another player can surprise you by ending the game while you’re still completing your goals. [14]
    • You can also use your knowledge to surprise players. If you know you’re far ahead in terms of points, you could start capturing longer 6-train routes (even without a ticket) and win the game in just a few turns.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    Are there any other tips when playing Ticket to Ride?
    Ashton Wu
    Board Game Expert
    Ashton Wu is a Board Game expert at Shelfside. After delving into the Yugioh tournament community while growing up, Ashton launched himself into the board gaming community in 2014 and went into reviewing board games as a career full-time in 2019. His YouTube channel Shelfside has over 35K subscribers and over 4 million views, assisted by written reviews on the Shelfside website and BoardGameGeek.com. He also consults with gaming companies to build high-quality gaming products. Ashton is a tournament commentator, board game playthrough director, and host of the Shelfside Podcast, where he talks about board games with his business partner, Daniel. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics at the University of California, Santa Barbara, in addition to the Technology Management Certificate.
    Ashton Wu
    Board Game Expert
    Expert Answer
    It's also interesting to note that during Ticket to Ride tournaments, the strategy initially adopts a conservative gameplay style. This involved amassing a considerable number of trains, surpassing the typical expectation of holding only a quarter to a third of the points compared to other players. Around two-thirds into the game, the winner shifted gears and became notably more aggressive. This strategic transition is fascinating because going all out in the late game allows for the efficient deployment of additional trains. Moreover, a clever tactic emerges: if you manage to exhaust your train resources before your opponents, the game concludes, providing an opportunity to stealthily secure a victory.
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      Tips

      • Another alternative strategy is to take 2 small tickets at the start of the game, build them, then focus on collecting long routes. This will cut off your opponents from many of their target routes, so even if you don’t get the longest consecutive train track, you could still get enough points to win.
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        Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
      • One slightly unorthodox strategy is to focus purely on collecting long routes and ignore all of your tickets. It will likely cause you to lose some points, but you’ll also rob your opponents of points by taking the longest routes—and you might just win.
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        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 1
      Show More Tips
      • Another alternative strategy is to take 2 small tickets at the start of the game, build them, then focus on collecting long routes. This will cut off your opponents from many of their target routes, so even if you don’t get the longest consecutive train track, you could still get enough points to win.
        Thanks
        Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
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      References

      1. ↑ https://youtu.be/PwylKBlrhrM?t=406
      2. ↑ https://boardgame.business/2013/09/13/ticket-to-ride-strategy-primer/
      3. ↑ https://boardgame.business/2013/09/13/ticket-to-ride-strategy-primer/
      4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JhFhyvGdik
      5. ↑ https://diceglory.com/ticket-to-ride-rules/
      6. ↑ https://boardgame.business/2013/09/13/ticket-to-ride-strategy-primer/
      7. ↑ https://boardgame.business/2013/09/13/ticket-to-ride-strategy-primer/
      8. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JhFhyvGdik
      9. ↑ https://youtu.be/PwylKBlrhrM?t=673
      1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JhFhyvGdik
      2. ↑ https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2016/11/30/ticket-to-ride/
      3. ↑ https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2016/11/30/ticket-to-ride/
      4. ↑ https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2016/11/30/ticket-to-ride/
      5. ↑ https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2016/11/30/ticket-to-ride/

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