
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,700
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Trains: Rising Sun
- 2–4 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.4/5
- 2014

Rules assistance for Trains: Coastal Tides
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Trains: Coastal Tides is an expansion for Trains released in 2017 for 2–4 players and 45 minutes per game. It was designed by Philip duBarry and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Network and Route Building, and Deck, Bag, and Pool Building.
Description from the publisher: Trains returns with all-new cards and strategies for you to build the best rail system in Japan. This expansion not only features all new cards, it includes three entirely new boards. Two of the boards are designed specifically for 2 player games, while the Okayama map is a new challenge for 2 to 4 players. Route Bonus Cards are also included, allowing you to score additional points for being the first to connect specific stations.
Trains: Coastal Tides supports 2–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Trains: Coastal Tides is 45 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.
Trains: Coastal Tides has a complexity rating of 2.0 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.
Trains: Coastal Tides belongs to these categories: Card Game, Territory Building, and Trains. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Network and Route Building, and Deck, Bag, and Pool 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 Trains: Coastal Tides are: Philip duBarry. 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 Trains: Coastal Tides as an expansion for Trains. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Trains to use it. Check that your edition of Trains is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.