Ticket to Ride: Nordic Countries

2007

Experience the thrill of railway adventure in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden with Ticket to Ride: Nordic Countries. Perfect for 2-3 players seeking strategic play!

60
minutes

2 - 3
player(s)

Medium Light

About the game

Ticket to Ride: Nordic Countries transports players to the far-reaching realms of Scandinavia, where they traverse across frozen landscapes and through bustling cities in a contest of railway mastery. The setting is as enchanting as it is challenging, providing a unique backdrop for one of the most popular board games in recent years.

The core mechanics of this game revolve around claiming railway routes, connecting cities, and fulfilling destination tickets. Players begin by drawing route cards, which dictate the cities they need to connect. To establish these connections, players must collect and play matching train cards. The longer the route, the more points are scored. In addition, players can earn extra points by having the longest continuous path by the end of the game, or by fulfilling destination tickets, which provide additional objectives.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

1. Game Board

The Game Board is a map of the Nordic Countries. Players place their train car pieces on the board to claim routes between cities, scoring points in the process. The Game Board also has a scoring track around its perimeter to keep track of each player’s points.

2. Train Car Cards

There are 110 Train Car Cards, representing 8 different types of train cars. Each type of train car corresponds to a specific route color on the game board. Players use these cards to claim routes. The color of the card must match the color of the route on the board.

3. Destination Ticket Cards

The game includes 46 Destination Ticket Cards. Each Destination Ticket Card specifies two cities on the map. Players score points by connecting these two cities with their train cars. However, if a player fails to connect the cities, they lose points equal to the point value of the card.

4. Train Car Pieces

There are 158 colored train car pieces, divided into three sets of different colors. Each player selects a color at the start of the game and uses these pieces to claim routes on the board. Each route requires a specific number of train car pieces, depending on its length.

5. Scoring Markers

There are 3 Scoring Markers, one for each player. These markers move along the scoring track on the game board to keep track of each player’s points. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins.

6. Bonus Card

The game includes a Bonus Card known as the Globetrotter Bonus Card. This card awards points to the player who completes the most Destination Ticket Cards by the end of the game.

How the components interact:

During the game, players collect and play Train Car Cards to claim routes on the board. Each route requires a specific number of Train Car Cards of the same color as the route. When a player claims a route, they place their train car pieces on the route and score points based on the length of the route.

Players also aim to complete their Destination Ticket Cards by connecting the two cities specified on the card. Completing these cards earns players additional points, but failing to complete them results in a loss of points.

The player who completes the most Destination Ticket Cards receives the Globetrotter Bonus Card, earning them additional points at the end of the game.

Throughout the game, players move their scoring markers along the scoring track on the board to keep track of their points. At the end of the game, the player with the most points wins.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

Ticket to Ride: Nordic Countries is a board game that takes players on a Nordic adventure through Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set it up:

Step 1: Preparation of Game Components

At the beginning of the game, you need to prepare the following:

Place the game board in the center of the table where all players can easily reach it.
Each player selects a set of colored train pieces. There are 45 trains in each set.
The train cards and destination tickets should be shuffled separately. Each player is dealt 4 train cards and 3 destination tickets.
The train card deck and destination ticket deck should be placed next to the board, and five train cards are drawn and laid out face up next to the draw pile.

Step 2: Dealing of Destination Tickets

Each player starts with 3 destination tickets, which they can look at but should keep secret from other players. After looking at their tickets, players can choose to discard one of the tickets, but they must keep at least two. Discarded tickets are placed at the bottom of the destination ticket deck.

Step 3: Determination of Player Order

Randomly determine the first player. Play then proceeds clockwise around the table.

Step 4: Beginning of the Game

On a player’s turn, they can perform one of the following actions:

Draw Train Car Cards: The player may draw 2 train cards from the draw pile or from the five face-up cards. If a face-up card is drawn, immediately replace it with a new card from the deck.
Claim a Route: The player can claim a route on the board by playing a set of train cards that match the color and length of the route and placing their colored trains on the route. They then score points based on the length of the route.
Draw Destination Tickets: The player draws 3 new destination tickets and must keep at least one of them.

Step 5: End of the Game

The game ends when a player has 2 or fewer trains left at the end of their turn. Each player, including that player, gets one final turn. After this, players reveal their destination tickets and add (or subtract) points based on whether they completed the routes on the tickets. The player with the most points wins.

Game flow Round and round we go

Ticket to Ride: Nordic Countries is a fascinating board game that takes players on a captivating journey through Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Here’s a detailed explanation of the game’s structure and the actions performed during each phase:

Setup Phase:

Each player receives a set of 45 colored train cars, 3 destination tickets, and 4 train car cards.
Five train car cards are dealt face up next to the draw pile. If three of these cards are locomotives, they are all discarded and replaced.
Players decide whether to keep all three destination tickets or discard one. These tickets represent the routes players need to complete and revealing them to opponents is not mandatory.

Gameplay Phase:

During their turn, players can perform one of three actions:

Draw Train Car Cards: Players can draw two train car cards from the draw pile or the face-up cards. If a player draws a face-up Locomotive card, it counts as their two cards for the turn.
Claim a Route: To claim a route, a player must expend a number of cards matching the color and length of the route. They then place their colored trains on the route and score points equal to the route’s length.
Draw Destination Tickets: Players can draw three new destination tickets and must keep at least one. These tickets provide new routes to complete and increase the potential for higher scores.

End Game Phase:

The end game is triggered when any player’s supply of colored train cars drops to two or fewer at the end of their turn. After this, each player, including the one who triggered the end game, gets one final turn.
After the final round, players reveal their destination tickets and add (or subtract, if they failed to complete the route) the corresponding points to their score. The player who has completed the longest continuous path of routes receives an additional bonus.
The player with the highest total score is declared the winner.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

Ticket to Ride: Nordic Countries is a strategic board game where players build railway routes across Northern Europe. Each turn in the game involves making choices that can significantly affect your overall strategy and the outcome of the game. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what happens during a player’s turn:

A player may perform one of the following actions:

Drawing Train Car Cards: As the first possible action, a player can draw two Train Car cards. These cards can be drawn from the deck or chosen from the five face-up cards available. If a Locomotive card (wild card) is face-up, and a player chooses it, they can only draw one card instead of two. Drawing these cards allows a player to build their hand and prepare for future route completions.
Claiming a Route: The second possible action a player can take is to claim a route on the board by playing a set of Train Car cards from their hand that match the color and length of the route. They then place their colored trains on the route. Claiming routes provides players with points, and connects cities which can potentially fulfill Destination Tickets.
Drawing Destination Tickets: The final possible action a player can take is to draw additional Destination Tickets. When doing so, the player draws three tickets and must keep at least one, but may keep two or all three if they wish. These tickets provide end-game bonus points if the player successfully completes the routes specified on the tickets. However, uncompleted routes will subtract from the player’s overall score.

Strategically choosing which action to take during a turn is crucial. Players must balance the need to acquire the right Train Car cards, claiming important routes, and drawing potentially beneficial Destination Tickets. The key is to anticipate opponents’ strategies and adapt accordingly. For example, if a player notices their opponent collecting cards of a certain color, they may want to claim the corresponding route before their opponent has a chance to do so.

Additionally, players need to carefully consider which Destination Tickets to keep when drawing new ones. While more tickets can lead to more points, they also represent additional routes that must be completed to avoid losing points.

These strategic choices and the element of unpredictability in card draws make Ticket to Ride: Nordic Countries a dynamic and engaging game.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

The game of ‘Ticket to Ride: Nordic Countries’ comes to an end when a player’s supply of colored train cars drops to 2 or fewer at the end of their turn. Once this condition is triggered, all players, including the one who triggered the end-game, get one final turn. After these final turns, players proceed to the scoring phase.

Victory Conditions:

The player with the highest total score at the end of the game wins. The total score of a player is calculated as follows:

Points from Route Cards: At the beginning of the game, each player receives a number of Route Cards. These cards depict two cities on the map, and the player’s goal is to connect those cities with a continuous path of their trains. Players score points for each Route Card they have successfully completed by the end of the game. Uncompleted route cards will deduct points from their total score.
Points from Train Routes: Players also score points throughout the game by claiming train routes between two cities on the board. The longer the route, the more points they earn.
Longest Continuous Path Bonus: The player who has the longest continuous path of trains receives a special bonus at the end of the game.

Scoring Phase Actions:

Once the game ends, players must perform the following actions before the final scoring:

The players reveal all their Route Cards (both completed and uncompleted) to the other players.
Players calculate the points for their completed Route Cards and add them to their score.
Players deduct the points for their uncompleted Route Cards from their score.
The player with the longest continuous path of trains receives the special bonus and adds it to their score.

In case of a tie, the player who has completed the most Route Cards wins. If there’s still a tie, the player who claimed the longest continuous path of trains wins.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

In Ticket to Ride: Nordic Countries, players accrue points through various actions throughout the game. The scoring system is comprehensive yet straightforward, and it rewards strategic planning and efficient use of resources.

1. Route Points: Players earn points by claiming routes between two cities on the map. The longer the route, the more points are awarded. Here’s a breakdown:

1 train = 1 point
2 trains = 2 points
3 trains = 4 points
4 trains = 7 points
5 trains = 10 points
6 trains = 15 points
7 trains = 18 points
8 trains = 21 points
9 trains = 27 points

2. Destination Tickets: At the beginning of the game, players are dealt destination tickets, which depict two cities on the map. Players earn points equal to the value on the card if they successfully connect those cities with a continuous path of their trains by the end of the game. Should they fail, the points are deducted from their score.

3. Longest Continuous Path: The player with the longest continuous path of trains at the end of the game receives a bonus of 10 points. This does not need to be a single uninterrupted line; it may bend or branch, but all parts must be connected.

When it comes to tie-breaking, the rules are quite clear:

The player who has completed the most destination tickets wins the tie.
If there is still a tie, the player with the longest continuous path of trains is the winner.

If a tie persists even after these two tie-breakers, the game is considered a draw, and the players share the victory.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Ticket to Ride: Nordic Countries introduces some special rules and exceptions that differentiate it from other versions of the game. Some of these are:

Tunnel Routes: This edition introduces a new type of route called Tunnel routes, represented by routes with a black border. When a player attempts to claim a Tunnel route, they must draw three additional cards from the draw pile. If any of these cards match the color used to claim the route, the player must pay an additional card of that color for each match.

Locomotive Cards: In Nordic Countries, Locomotive cards are more versatile. They can be used as wild cards to complete any route, but they can be also used in sets to claim Ferry routes, which is another unique type of route in this edition. However, unlike other versions of the game, these cards can’t be drawn directly from the face-up pile. They can only be obtained through a blind draw from the deck or by drawing a blind wild card.

Ferry Routes: These are a special type of route that requires a certain number of Locomotive cards to claim. The number of Locomotive cards needed is indicated by the engine icons on the route. The remaining cards can be of any color.
Country-to-Country Tickets: These are a new type of destination ticket that specifies two countries instead of two cities. To complete these tickets, players must have a continuous path of their trains connecting any city in one country to any city in the other country.
Two-Player Rules: In two-player games, once a player claims a route between two cities, the other route(s) between those same two cities can no longer be claimed, making the competition for certain routes more intense.

It’s important to note that all other standard rules of Ticket to Ride apply to Nordic Countries unless explicitly changed by these special rules.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Advanced Strategies:

Focus on long routes: Long routes garner more points, so they’re usually worth the effort. However, don’t ignore the short routes as they can be beneficial in disrupting your opponent’s plans.
Card management: Managing your cards effectively is crucial. Try to keep a balance of different colors in your hand to allow for flexibility when claiming routes.
Blocking: If you figure out your opponent’s strategy, you can block their path to slow them down or force them to take a longer route.

Beginner Tips:

Understand the mechanics: Spend some time understanding how the game works before diving in. This includes understanding how to claim routes, how to draw and play cards, and how scoring works.
Start with short routes: As a beginner, it’s a good idea to start by completing short routes. This will give you a taste of how to strategize and plan ahead, without overwhelming you.
Use your train cars wisely: You only have a limited number of train cars, so use them wisely. Don’t just claim routes for the sake of it, make sure it’s part of your overall strategy.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

Ignoring your opponents: In ‘Ticket to Ride: Nordic Countries’, it’s essential to keep an eye on your opponents’ moves. Ignoring them can lead to them blocking your path or claiming a route you needed.
Hoarding cards: While it’s important to have a good selection of cards, hoarding too many can leave you unable to react quickly to changes in the game.
Forgetting to draw more destination tickets: Drawing more destination tickets can be a risk, but it can also lead to big rewards. Don’t forget to draw more when you’re comfortable with your current routes.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

Plan your routes: Take some time at the beginning of the game to plan your routes. This can help you see the most efficient way to use your train cars.
Balance your strategy: Don’t focus too much on one aspect of the game. A good balance of claiming routes, drawing cards, and blocking your opponents can lead to success.
Keep track of your train cars: You have a limited number of train cars, so keep track of how many you have left. This can help you decide when to claim routes and when to draw cards.