All aboard! Today we’re looking at the best Ticket to Ride board games out there. Many a board gaming journey has started with a simple game of trains.
With over 3 million copies of the base game sold, chances are you’ve seen Ticket to Ride on a shelf or two. There’s a reason for that.
The rules are simple while still offering its players a fun and intriguing gaming experience. It’s also not anything completely outlandish and it has been one of the better gateway games to get newbie players into the hobby.
The classic Eurogame, Ticket to Ride, has made some serious waves in the board gaming sphere… but what if you find yourself wanting more?
Have no fear, we’re here to help you find the best addition to your Ticket to Ride experience. Check out the full list of the best Ticket to Ride board games below.
Table of Contents
Our Top Picks for Best Ticket to Ride Board Games
In a hurry? Check out our favorites below.
Ticket to Ride: Anniversary Edition
If you’re looking to get started and have never picked up a game of Ticket to Ride, it’s always best to start with the original. There are actually several different versions of the original floating around, as well as a few different anniversary editions.
If you can manage to find a 10th-anniversary edition (they’re no longer in print), you’ll actually get some very nice components and the USA: 1910 expansion included.
There’s also a 15th-anniversary edition that doesn’t include any expansions but comes with new clear plastic trains and is just a solid copy of the original USA version.
Map Collection: Volume 5 – United Kingdom & Pennsylvania
This is my favorite of the map packs.
Volume 5 comes with a big double-sided map with the UK and Pennsylvania on either side. Each side comes with its own set of special rules that can be added too, so you aren’t just getting a different board.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania adds a sharing rule to the mix. Not a Sesame Street view of sharing but more of a stock market-type share.
As you build routes, you’ll notice companies on the board. Whenever you connect, you get a share in that particular company. The player with the most shares in a company gets some bonus points.
It’s a different point boost that doesn’t destroy the simplicity of the original game but still adds a bit more complexity.
United Kingdom
The UK side of the map throws technology into the mix. At the beginning of the game, players will only be able to build tiny routes in England. But the more they build as the game goes on, the more tech they’ll have available to use.
Pretty soon, you’ll be able to expand your network to the larger routes and even build ferries to get across to Ireland.
Ticket to Ride: USA 1910
USA: 1910 is a cosmetic expansion with a few extra treasures tucked away. If your cards are getting a little worn down, then it’s much easier to pick up a copy of this since it comes with a complete set of upgraded cards.
It has all the standard route cards and train cards that you would find in a base game but here, they’re all bigger. No more tiny cards for you.
USA: 1910 also comes with a ton of new 1910 destination cards that can be used separately or together or with the original as a mega game.
This is by no means an essential expansion, but it’s nice to have some upgraded components.
Map Collection: Volume 7 – Japan & Italy
Volume 7 has the distinction of having the longest maps in the series, which is no surprise because we’re heading to Japan and Italy.
Japan
When you think of Japanese transportation, you’ll probably immediately think of their incredible Bullet Trains. I’ve actually been lucky enough to ride on one in real life… and they’re incredible.
The Japan map allows you to build up the rail network throughout Japan but with an added twist. In addition to the normal map, there’s a mini Tokyo section. Some destination cards will have you connect to Tokyo, but once you do, you’ll then need to build up the subway system within Tokyo itself to complete the route.
Italy
The Italy side of the board breaks down the map into regions that grant bonus points every time you connect new regions. There’s also a ferry system built in that requires locomotive cards or a new special ferry card to move around.
Map Collection: Volume 1 – Asia
Asia is pretty big. In this version, we get a huge double-sided map with two ways to play. There’s a team variant where players win or lose as a team and place cards in a shared pool while simultaneously having a secret hand of cards.
Playing as a team adds a whole new dynamic and it makes a family game even more friendly.
Asia is quite a mountainous region and has always been a place of wonder and exploration. The second way to play this version is in Legendary mode, in which players will be able to create mountainous paths but will have to pay an extra train car to set them down.
This gives a few bonus points, but you’ll also lose more trains.
Map Collection: Volume 6 – France & Old West
Volume 6 has two completely different locations. One conjures up images of Paris and wine, and the other reminds me of the gold rush and cowboys.
Paris’s interesting new feature is its use of multiple crisscrossed tracks. There are multiple paths that go right over each other but only one can ever be built. The set of trains placed locks out the other, turning the tension up to 11.
In the Gold Rush era, cities and towns used to pop up all over the place. In a case of art imitating life, Old West introduces player cities to this expansion of Ticket to Ride.
Each player has a set amount of cities and the first route that is placed needs to be connected to your starter city. It feels like angry road building from Catan but makes for quite a competitive game.
Ticket To Ride: Nordic Countries
When you think of Nordic-themed games you naturally think of trains, right?
Maybe not, but Ticket to Ride: Nordic Countries has us traveling through Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Finland.
Nordic uses all the classic rules of Ticket to Ride but they also add tunnels and ferries to the mix. It’s a bit of a smaller game and can only accommodate 2-3 players.
Don’t let the cute reindeer on the box fool you. Nordic Countries utilizes its smaller board by focusing on a more aggressive playstyle. You’ll find yourself building in order to block your opponents more than in the other versions.
Ticket to Ride: Europa 1912
Ticket to Ride: Europa 1912 is a small box expansion for the Europe base game. It comes with a full set of destination cards and quite a few new ones, so if you’re games getting a little ratty, it wouldn’t be the worst idea to check this one out.
You don’t just get a set of new cards, though. You’ll also get the new depot/warehouse ruleset along with a full set of corresponding tokens. The depots collect train cards as the game continues and if you manage to connect a route to the depot, you’ll get all those sweet sweet cards straight to your hand.
Ticket To Ride: Europe
The Europe version isn’t just the same game with a different map. There are several new additions that add to the gameplay that I actually quite enjoy.
In addition to the fancy new Europe map, players will also have the option to use stations, tunnels, and ferries. Stations add a new element by allowing you to use other players’ routes to complete destination tickets.
Tunnels are a new type of route that can get pricey pretty quickly. Instead of a set number of cards, you’ll need to pay a random number extra to complete the tunnel. After all which public works project ever finishes on time. Ask anyone from Boston about the Big Dig.
Lastly, we have ferries that require a locomotive card in order to be built. It’s not as easy to find, but who doesn’t like a challenge?
Ticket to Ride: Germany
This is actually one of my favorites.
Ticket to Ride: Germany takes us through a beautiful map that seems longer north to south than some of the other Ticket to Rides.
Germany takes some of the new mechanics from the offshoot Ticket to Ride games and reinvents them into a more cohesive product. It takes the Ticket to Ride: Märklin’s passenger system and simplifies it in a way that makes it truly feel like a Ticket to Ride game.
The Passenger scoring system is much easier to deal with and less finicky. That makes it a lot easier to jump into the game and affects how you choose your routes throughout the game.
It’s a welcome change-up to the tried-and-true system that still feels like the game we know and love.
Map Collection: Volume 2 – India & Switzerland
The second Map Collection takes us to two vastly different parts of the world.
Although there are some slight rule changes, there’s not a whole lot that makes these two maps stand out. There are some alternate ways of scoring but these changes seem pretty minor in comparison to some of its counterparts.
Personally, I would only pick up Volume 2 if you’re a completionist or if you like the look of the maps.
Map Collection: Volume 4 – Nederland
When you think of the Netherlands the first thing that comes to mind is…TAXES. Wait, what?
Volume 4 brings us to the gorgeous Netherlands but with a bit of a twist. Most of the routes are double routes and there are now tolls to build on different routes. If you can’t pay the toll, you need to take out a loan to pay for the route.
Don’t take out too many loans, though. That’s just good advice for life and gaming.
Ticket To Ride: Märklin
This version is a collaboration between Ticket to Ride and Märklin model trains. The cards are all replaced with Märklin model trains to showcase their train lines.
This is also one of the more innovative games in the Ticket to Ride line-up. In Märklin, you’ll have the usual rail networks to set up but that’s only part of the job.
Märklin introduces a passenger scoring mechanic too. Players can score some serious bonus points by picking up passengers and successfully dropping them off.
Map Collection: Volume 3 – Heart of Africa
I bless the “trains” down in Africa.
Sorry, not sorry, Toto.
Volume 3 takes us to… the Heart of Africa! We’re a little bit more focused on the terrain here. Players, in addition to train cards, will be able to pick up terrain cards, and when claiming routes (if they can match it with the terrain) they can seriously boost the score of the route.
There’s definitely something to be said for topography here. You may notice that there are a lot of chokepoints on this map. So, if you don’t act quickly enough, you’re going to have to go the long way around.
Need I remind you that Africa is big? Volume 3 is a little more aggressive as players try to claim routes first and not get locked out.
Ticket To Ride: Rails & Sails
Rails & Sails is big. This one spans the entire world and uses a global map and with size comes more complications.
Players will now have to keep track of 2 different resources and as you might imagine, they are trains and ships. They each use a separate deck so you’ll need to balance how many train and ship cards you have. You can always trade one in for another but you’ll lose points every time you do it.
As an added level of difficulty, players will need to build 3 ports throughout the course of the game or risk losing victory points.
My favorite addition besides the ship routes are the new destination tickets. Some will show “tour routes” and if you build it exactly as it shows on the card, it’s worth even more points.
Ticket to Ride: London
London Calling!
London is a massive city with intricate Tube lines throughout but in a game that originally was designed on train routes, we’re instead going with the iconic double-decker buses of London.
Players can do all the standard Ticket to Ride actions but on a much smaller scale. The board is designed to play much more quickly with fewer players, so if you don’t want to spend an hour setting up a long line of little trains, Ticket to Ride: London is a much quicker alternative.
Players score points not only on the standard routes, but they’ll also score bonus points at the end of the game if they’ve connected different city districts using their bus routes. It’s a fast-paced alternative to any of the big box versions and can be pretty fun before setting off on EuroTrip.
Ticket to Ride: New York
Off to New York!
Although New York does have a comprehensive subway system, we’re not using it here. New York replaces train lines with the iconic New York Yellow Cabs. Players can still pick up destination cards to try and connect the different areas of the city.
Navigating tourist sites in the Big Apple is a pretty intense task in real life. Just like being a tourist, Ticket to Ride: New York is a little more difficult because we’re focusing on a city rather than a country.
Ticket to Ride: New York is actually much smaller than its counterparts. This means you’ll be fighting over routes on a smaller board and there’s very little room for error.
Ticket to Ride: Amsterdam
One of the newest versions of Ticket to Ride is the Amsterdam variant. It’s another small box entry in the series and only takes about 20 minutes to play.
In Ticket to Ride: Amsterdam players trade in the iconic trains… for carts. After all, we’re in 17th-century Amsterdam during the Dutch Golden Age.
The game plays like a typical game of Ticket to Ride, but on a much smaller map. One of the new mechanics for Amsterdam is the merchandise bonus cards. Whenever you claim a trade route with cart icons, players receive merchandise bonus cards.
These replace the bonus points given for the longest routes. At final scoring, each player receives points depending upon 2 factors: the number of players and the number of merchandise cards. The player with the most gets the most points and each subsequent player gets less.
I really prefer the smaller box versions of Ticket to Ride and honestly prefer this newest version to the original. It’s much smaller and quicker, while still giving it that original feeling and experience.
Ticket to Ride: First Journey
Ticket to Ride isn’t a particularly hard game to learn but it can be a little overwhelming for the younger crowd. First Journey does several things to convert the modern-day classic into something a bit more comprehensible to younger players.
The components are slightly more user-friendly. The trains have gotten bigger and are a little more trainy-looking and all of the cards are bigger, brighter, and now have handy symbols that help the youngins match them up.
Scoring has also been changed up so it doesn’t take forever to add up of all the final points. Instead, the player who completes 6 tickets first, wins.
It’s actually a pretty solid addition to Ticket to Ride and it’s nice to play a board game with kids that isn’t mind-numbingly simple.
Wrap-Up
Map and board game fans rejoice. Ticket to Ride has taken us around the globe and back again. It’s been played around the world and is considered one of the easiest gateway games to get players into the hobby.
We hope you enjoyed our list. What’s your favorite Ticket to Ride game? Drop a comment below! We’d love to hear from you.
Before starting GameCows with his wife Kendra, he used to teach English Language Arts in the US. He combined his love of gaming with education to create fun game-based learning lessons until he eventually decided to run GameCows with Kendra full-time. He’s known for pouring over rulebooks in his spare time, being the rule master during game night, and as the perma DM in his DnD group. Bryan loves board games, writing, traveling, and above all his wife and partner in crime, Kendra.