Which Ticket to Ride expansion after the base game?

2-5 players (USA or Europe) Routes / tickets About 30-60 min

The game

Already own a Ticket to Ride? The trap here is different: most map boxes have no trains in them, so they only work with certain base games.

USA, Europe, Germany, Nordic Countries, Rails & Sails and Northern Lights are full games. The Map Collections are boards and tickets only.

Map Collections have no trains. Asia, India & Switzerland, Africa, Nederland, UK & Pennsylvania, France, Poland, Japan & Italy and Iberia & South Korea need the trains and cards from USA, Europe or Germany.

Germany is the handy donor. Germany is a full game and the usual donor for Map Collections. Nordic Countries (2-3 players) is not a standard donor.

Cities and Junior are separate. The small Cities games (Paris, London, New York and others) and First Journey are standalone, not map expansions.

Which boxes do you already own?

Put on the table what you already have, and how many of you play.

You usually play with

2-5

Release timeline

USA 2004, Europe 2005, USA 1910 2006, Nordic Countries 2007, Europe 1912 2009, Asia and India & Switzerland 2011, Africa 2012, Nederland 2013, UK & Pennsylvania 2015, Rails & Sails 2016, Germany and France 2017, Poland and Japan & Italy 2019, Northern Lights 2022, Iberia & South Korea 2024.

The graph

How the Ticket to Ride boxes connect, plus the mechanics. An arrow starts at the expansion and points to the box it needs.

needs another box
contains this box
part of the line
game mechanic

Depending on what you want

You want	Get
The classic start	Ticket to Ride (USA) or Europe
Team play and big Asia maps	Map Collection: Asia
A tight 2-player map	India & Switzerland
New rules, not just a map	France & Old West, or Japan & Italy
The newest maps	Iberia & South Korea

Tick your boxes at the top and the answer follows.

At the table

Box	What it brings
Ticket to Ride (USA)	The original: USA map, 2-5 players.
Ticket to Ride: Europe	Europe map with tunnels, ferries, stations.
USA 1910	New tickets and variants for the USA map only.
Europe 1912	New tickets plus Warehouses & Depots for Europe only.
Map Collection: Asia	Team Asia and Legendary Asia maps. Needs trains from a base game.
Map Collection: India & Switzerland	India (mandalas) and the tight Switzerland map. Needs a donor.
Map Collection: Heart of Africa	Africa map with terrain cards. Needs a donor.
Map Collection: Nederland	Netherlands map with tolls and loans. Needs a donor.
Map Collection: United Kingdom & Pennsylvania	Technology on the UK side, shares in Pennsylvania. Needs a donor.
Map Collection: France & Old West	Build track before claiming in France. Needs a donor.
Map Collection: Poland	A compact Poland map. Needs a donor.
Map Collection: Japan & Italy	Bullet trains in Japan, ferries in Italy. Needs a donor.
Map Collection: Iberia & South Korea	The newest pair of maps. Needs a donor.
Ticket to Ride: Germany	Full game with passengers. The handy Map Collection donor.
Ticket to Ride: Nordic Countries	Full game built for 2-3 players.
Ticket to Ride: Rails & Sails	Full game with trains and ships on a world map.
Ticket to Ride: Northern Lights	Full northern-Europe game for up to 5.
Ticket to Ride Cities (Paris, London, New York...)	Small standalone city games. Not Map Collections.
Ticket to Ride: First Journey	The junior version. A separate kids game.

Compatibility

Box	Needs	Players
Ticket to Ride (USA)	standalone base	2-5
Ticket to Ride: Europe	standalone base	2-5
USA 1910	needs base + USA	with the base game
Europe 1912	needs base + Europe	with the base game
Map Collection: Asia	needs one base	with the base game
Map Collection: India & Switzerland	needs one base	with the base game
Map Collection: Heart of Africa	needs one base	2-5
Map Collection: Nederland	needs one base	2-5
Map Collection: United Kingdom & Pennsylvania	needs one base	with the base game
Map Collection: France & Old West	needs one base	2-6
Map Collection: Poland	needs one base	2-4
Map Collection: Japan & Italy	needs one base	2-5
Map Collection: Iberia & South Korea	needs one base	2-5
Ticket to Ride: Germany	standalone base	2-5
Ticket to Ride: Nordic Countries	standalone base	2-3
Ticket to Ride: Rails & Sails	standalone base	2-5
Ticket to Ride: Northern Lights	standalone base	2-5
Ticket to Ride Cities (Paris, London, New York...)	plays on its own	2-4
Ticket to Ride: First Journey	plays on its own	2-4

Legacy: Legends of the West, the Cannes special edition and promo cards are outside the picker.

FAQ

Which Ticket to Ride should I buy first?

USA for the purest game, Europe if you want tunnels, ferries and stations. Either one unlocks most Map Collections.

What does a Map Collection need?

A base game with trains: USA, Europe or Germany. The map box brings the board and tickets only.

Is Ticket to Ride Europe an expansion of USA?

No. It is a full standalone game, and a donor for the map boxes.

Which base game for 2 players?

Nordic Countries is built for 2-3. India & Switzerland is the favourite 2-player map, with a donor box.

Who publishes Ticket to Ride in English?

Days of Wonder. Designer: Alan R. Moon.