Boardgames

18NL

Buy railway shares, operate companies, and develop routes in this Netherlands adaptation of the 1830 rules.

360
minutes

3 - 6
player(s)

Medium Heavy

18NL board game cover

About this board game

18NL is an 18xx railway game for 3–6 players, with an approximate playing time of 360 minutes. Based on the rules of 1830: Railways & Robber Barons, it adapts the classic railway investment and operations framework to the Netherlands.

Players begin by buying shares in railway companies. The player who holds the majority of a company’s shares takes on its operation, making the key decisions that shape its progress during the game.

Operating a company involves several central railway-building activities:

  • Laying track
  • Placing stations
  • Purchasing trains

These mechanisms combine investment and company management within the familiar 18xx structure. Players are not only seeking valuable shares; they also influence how the companies they control develop through their operational choices.

18NL was published both as a standalone board game and as a print-and-play version. The print-and-play edition requires some components from 1830: Railways & Robber Barons in order to play.

Released in 1999, 18NL offers a substantial railway gaming experience for groups of three to six players. Its Netherlands setting and adaptation of the 1830 rules make it a distinct entry in the 18xx genre while retaining the genre’s focus on shares, majority control, and railway company operations.