Tips for Playing Ticket to Ride Marklin

Game Play

• The goal of "Ticket to Ride Marklin" is to build connections between two cities from which trains can run. Players score points depending on the length of these connections, with longer connections being worth more points. Additional points can be earned and lost through destination cards, which will list two of the game's 40 cities and must be connected by the player. The winner is the person with the highest score at the end of the game.

  Even those who know the "Ticket to Ride" rules should learn the new rules unique to the Marklin edition. This is the first game in the series to feature passengers and merchandise tokens. Passengers are moved along your track to collect merchandise tokens. Each city features between two and four tokens of differing values. When you transport a passenger to the city, you will receive one token. The first arrival wins the highest value token, and then the points diminish for each additional passenger. These points are added to your final score at the end of the game. Players can use passenger cards to move along their opponent's tracks for additional high-value tokens.

Destination Routes

• New to "Ticket to Ride Marklin" is the splitting of destination cards into long and short routes. This is also where the first strategy comes into play. Decide whether you wish to attempt several short routes throughout the game or fewer long routes. The points you'll gain from a route between Koln and Munchen, for example, are much greater than the points for a route between Hanover and Erfurt. Be warned that you are penalized for every remaining incomplete destination card in your hand at the end of the game. If you notice that your attempts at long routes are failing, discard these cards in favor of short routes. If you don't have enough time to complete them, at least your deductions won't be as great.

Passengers

• While your main goal is to build routes, don't neglect the points you can earn from passenger movement. Keep an eye out for a route that passes through Berlin, as this city awards the highest token value of seven points. Once you notice a route, start the move, even if it means using passenger cards to use opponent tracks. This early victory will boost your score while preventing your opponents from following suit.

Long Routes

• While destination cards can give you points for routes, building your own routes along the map is also a perfect way to score points. Each city is connected by colored blocks, which represent the trains in the route. Munster is connected to Bremen by three black trains, while Kiel and Rostock are four orange trains apart. The farther the distance, the more points you'll score. Work on getting trains of one color into your hand as you draw cards and always aim for long routes. Three routes of five trains each will net you 30 points, while two routes of seven trains each will net you 36 points. Target the Berlin-to-Hamburg routes for these massive points. Note that gray routes can be made up of any colored set of cards.