# Loooking for Ticket to Ride opinions **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 3, 2005, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loooking-for-ticket-to-ride-opinions/329333 "2005-11-03T19:01:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2005, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loooking-for-ticket-to-ride-opinions/329333/1 "2005-11-03T19:01:54Z")
I’m thinking of buying Ticket to Ride ([http://www.ticket2ridegame.com/](http://www.ticket2ridegame.com/)) and bringing it to games night tomorrow (Nov 4). I’ve already read a bunch of reviews at boardgamegeek, but I’m wondering if any dopers have played it and have opinions. The game looks a bit “light” as compared to say, Settlers of Catan, but thats is Ok. It is good to have a short / light game for filler / appetiser (of for the last day of a gaming convention, when everyone is brain fried 🙂 ). Brian ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loooking-for-ticket-to-ride-opinions/329333/2 "2005-11-04T00:16:37Z")
Althogh I’m still interested in opinions, the urgency has gone – no store withing 100 miles of me has it. (toys r us has it on thier website, but not in the store) I’m going to call the loacl hooby / game place just to be sure, but I’m not hopefull. Brian ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loooking-for-ticket-to-ride-opinions/329333/3 "2005-11-04T00:46:21Z")
> [@N9IWP](#): > > I’m thinking of buying Ticket to Ride ([http://www.ticket2ridegame.com/](http://www.ticket2ridegame.com/)) and bringing it to games night tomorrow (Nov 4). > I’ve already read a bunch of reviews at boardgamegeek, but I’m wondering if any dopers have played it and have opinions. The game looks a bit “light” as compared to say, Settlers of Catan, but thats is Ok. It is good to have a short / light game for filler / appetiser (of for the last day of a gaming convention, when everyone is brain fried 🙂 ). > > Brian There’s more strategy to it than you’d think at first glance, but the rules are a bit simpler than Settlers. It takes about an hour (less once everybody knows what they’re doing). ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loooking-for-ticket-to-ride-opinions/329333/4 "2005-11-04T05:32:06Z")
It’s one of my most favorite games because I can play it with just about anyone, including my non gaming geek in-laws. It certainly isn’t a deep strategic game but it doesn’t take long to play, the rules are simple enough for anyone to pick up, it is produced with the typical Days of Wonder quality, and most important of all, it’s fun. Ticket to Ride Europe is a pretty good game as well but I’d go with the original first. Marc ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loooking-for-ticket-to-ride-opinions/329333/5 "2005-11-04T16:33:20Z")
The local store has a copy! I had them reserve it, will pick it up later today. The local store doesn’t appear on the ticket to ride website’s store locator, will have to tell the local store that. Although the local store is pretty small, when I try to find something they often have it (I got a copy of Robo Rally when it was out of print for example) Brian ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loooking-for-ticket-to-ride-opinions/329333/6 "2005-11-04T18:58:16Z")
Most of the strategy in Ticket to Ride is in choosing tickets. (There are the"good" runs that go E/W with long segments, while the N/S runs are crap. If you don’t get a goodie in the first draw, it’s best to punt to short runs if you can and draw again as soon as possible.) The mechandics are different enough that people who already know train games (18XX, and crayon trains) are thrown for a bit of a loop by it, which is kinda fun. I disagree with **MGibson** a bit on the original vs. Europe. I think Europe is slightly better, and I also think that the original doesn’t really have much to offer that Europe doesn’t. I don’t know that I’d recommend to anyone to get both, but I’d recommend Europe over the original. Sorry I didn’t see this thread earlier! But the original is still good, don’t get me wrong. You’re sure to enjoy it! ---
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loooking-for-ticket-to-ride-opinions/329333/7 "2005-11-04T19:21:44Z")
I didn’t like it the first time I played, but it grew on me. Too long for a filler, but not as complicated as say Puerto Rico. I prefer the Europe version, since there’s a little more meat to it. I have seen it (and carcassone, oddly enough) at toys R us several times, so it’s worth checking another TRU if you can’t find it. Or if you’ve got time to wait, order it online from [www.bouldergames.com](http://www.bouldergames.com), [www.funagain.com](http://www.funagain.com) or [www.thoughthammer.com](http://www.thoughthammer.com). (I’ve had good experiences with all three). ---
**Author:** ![John\_Corrado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a88e4f/32.png) [@John\_Corrado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Corrado)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loooking-for-ticket-to-ride-opinions/329333/8 "2005-11-04T19:29:05Z")
I think the Europe one is definitely better as a _fun_ game- the addition of stations allowing you to jump over competitor’s tracks means that it’s a lot harder to screw over other players, which makes for a much less frustrating game. I played a 3-player version of the American board (with no station rule) and the number of times one of us got accidentally screwed over made the game more depressing than enjoyable. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loooking-for-ticket-to-ride-opinions/329333/9 "2005-11-04T23:14:38Z")
The LGS only had the non-Europe version anyway. I did buy it, will give gaming report later… Brian ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2005, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loooking-for-ticket-to-ride-opinions/329333/10 "2005-11-06T00:20:58Z")
It was enjoyed by the group. I got the afformentioned north - south routes, except for New York - Seattle (at a later draw, not at the beginning). The route was open and I already had NY. But I didn’t count my reamaining cars - I later realized there was no way for me to finish the route so -22 points for me ☹ Brian