- BGG rank
- BGG #2,023
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Tramways
- 1–5 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 3.8/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #22,132
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Railways
2022
Rules assistance for Railways
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1 player
- 30–60 min
- 14+
- Complexity 2.3/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for Railways
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Railways is a board game released in 2022 for 1 player, 30–60 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Alban Viard and its main mechanics are Die Icon Resolution, Modular Board, and Network and Route Building.
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About the game
In the middle of the 19th century, the time of the Industrial Revolution, you must take advantage of the steam age and build your railroad empire by developing railroads, expanding buildings, and moving passengers to make the most profit at the end of twelve rounds! Railways is the first game in the "Nano9games" family. With 9 cards, 9 dice, and 9 cubes, you must build a network and connect the buildings to move passengers. You will use cards and icons to perform actions. During each round, play cards to combine icons to perform actions: Build a link Move a passenger Build a building Upgrade an existing link Take money Decrease pollution Add a new passenger If you play two icons from the same card, you must increase your pollution. Your goal is to make as much profit as possible, and you earn money when you move passengers through links and buildings... With a second set of cards — and dice and cubes in a different color — you can play Railways with two players. —description from the designer
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Giant Roc
- AVStudioGames
Questions and answers
Railways supports 1 player according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Railways is 30–60 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Railways for ages 14 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Railways has a complexity rating of 2.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Railways belongs to these categories: Card Game, Trains, and City Building. Its main mechanics are Die Icon Resolution, Modular Board, and Network and Route Building. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Railways are: Alban Viard. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Railways as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.