Welcome to Ticket to Ride Austria!

Hey there! I’m here to fill you in on the rules for Ticket to Ride Austria. So sit back, relax, and let’s dive in!

If you’re not familiar with Ticket to Ride, it’s a super fun board game where you try to build train routes across different cities. In Ticket to Ride Austria, you’ll be exploring the beautiful country of Austria and connecting its major cities. It’s like going on a virtual adventure!

Alright, let’s get started with the rules. The basic idea of the game is to collect train cards and use them to claim routes on the board. You’ll also need to complete destination tickets to earn extra points. The player with the highest score at the end of the game wins.

There are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind as you play. First, you’ll need train cards to claim routes. Each route on the board has a specific color and requires a certain number of cards of that color. So make sure you’re collecting the right cards!

Next, you’ll want to pay attention to the destination tickets. These tickets will give you specific routes to complete, and if you successfully connect the cities on the ticket, you’ll earn extra points. Just be careful, though, because if you don’t complete a destination ticket by the end of the game, you’ll lose points.

Another thing to keep an eye on is the number of trains you have left. Each player starts with 45 trains, and every time you claim a route, you’ll use up some of those trains. If you run out of trains before the end of the game, you’ll lose points.

Now, let’s talk about how the game ends. The game will end when one player has two or fewer trains left. At that point, each player will get one last turn, and then it’s time to tally up the points and see who won!

There you have it! Those are the basic rules for Ticket to Ride Austria. I hope you’re as excited to play as I am. Have fun exploring Austria and may the best player win!

So here’s what you need to know. Let’s start with the basic rules. You can use the rules from the U.S. edition, or if you prefer, you can use the train stations from the Europe edition. You can even play with the passengers and goods from the Germany edition if you want to mix things up.

In this version of the game, there are 56 destination cards, which is a bit more than in the original game. To make the game more enjoyable, it’s recommended to draw more Destination Cards.

At the beginning of the game, you’ll each start with six cards. Make sure to keep at least three of them. As the game progresses, you’ll draw four more cards during your turn and keep at least one. Any cards you decide to discard should be placed at the bottom of the deck.

Now, let’s talk about some optional rules that are highly recommended:

• One way to earn victory points is by having the longest continuous track. If you achieve this, you’ll be awarded 10 victory points.
• If you manage to establish a continuous West-to-East path, meaning you connect Bregenz or Bludenz to either Breclav, Marchegg, Parndorg, Gro?petersdorf, or Fehring, you’ll also earn 10 victory points.

Hey there! Let me tell you about a cool thing called Tourist Routes. They’re like special paths that have zig-zag tracks. These routes have names and they connect to at least one terminal station. But here’s the twist – some of them have a negative point score in red next to their name.

Imagine racing through tunnels as you build your own train tracks. These special tracks, known as “Tourist Paths” or “Sonderzuge,” add an exciting twist to the game of Europe edition.

But here’s the catch: if you decide to build on one of these unique tracks, you better be prepared to complete the corresponding Destination Ticket. If not, you’ll lose points at the end of the game.

These tricky tracks are marked in red on the game board, indicating the number of points you’ll lose if you can’t finish them. For example, building the Feistritztalbahn track without completing the Birkfeld – Pochlarn Destination Ticket will cost you eight points. And if you don’t even have the ticket, it’s still a loss!

On top of that, the game lists the nine longest Tourist Paths separately. Why? Because these paths are a double-edged sword. While they can earn you valuable points, they can also be a target for your opponents, who may try to block your progress.

So, remember, when it comes to these special tracks, think carefully before you build. Make sure you have the right Destination Ticket or be prepared to lose valuable points. It’s a risk, but the rewards can be worth it if you play your cards right!

“Punkte” are the points you get when you have the right ticket and finish the path. “Strafe” are the points you lose if you build on the path but don’t have the right ticket or finish it.

The truth is, these nine paths are worth more than they should be. For example, the Rheinmundung – Bleiburg path usually gives you 24 points, but now it gives you 32 points.

So, it might be smart to pay close attention to what the other players are doing. If you see them building a path, you could try to stop them from finishing it. There are two ways to do this:

Let me show you a few sneaky strategies for playing Ticket to Ride that can give you a real edge on your opponents. Check these out:

• Here’s a good one: build that special track yourself, and you’ll lose 14 points. But guess what? Your opponent loses a whopping 32 points for not being able to complete their track. Ouch!
• Another smart move: if your opponent builds the special track too soon, that’s a big red flag. It’s time to start blocking their routes to the other destination. If they can’t finish their path, they lose not only 32 points from their Destination Ticket, but also another 14 points from their Tourist Route. Meanwhile, you won’t lose any points. Talk about a win-win!

When you look at the map, you’ll notice that the nine special tracks stand out because they’re marked with a black locomotive icon. It’s interesting to note that there are only eight locomotives available, which means that one of the destinations, Bleiburg, is a popular choice and has two different Tourist Paths leading to it.

This situation creates an interesting challenge when multiple players have Destination Tickets for the same terminal station. In this case, only one player will be able to complete their ticket and earn points, while the others will have to take a penalty.

In addition to the main network of routes, there are also two special Tourist Routes that are separate from the rest. These routes, Taurachbahn and Schafbergbahn, are unique because they are only one car long. If you have the Destination Ticket for these paths, you’ll earn three points. However, if you don’t have the ticket, you’ll lose one point. So, it’s important to consider these special routes and factor them into your strategy.