Railways of the World

Players begin by receiving a starting amount of money and a level 1 locomotive. They then take turns placing initial track pieces on the board, connecting cities, and distributing goods cubes according to the game's setup instructions. Objective cards are drawn and placed face-up, revealing immediate and long-term goals for players to pursue. The game board is set up with various cities, terrain types, and pre-defined routes, preparing the landscape for railroad expansion.

The primary objective of 'Railways of the World' is to earn the most victory points. These points are primarily gained through successfully delivering goods between cities, completing specific objective cards that offer bonus points, and connecting certain key cities on the map to establish major routes. Players must balance their track-building efforts with efficient goods delivery and financial management to maximize their score.

A player's turn consists of three actions. These actions can be chosen from a set of options: building new track segments, delivering goods cubes from one city to another along established routes, issuing stock certificates to gain immediate funds (but incurring future dividend payments), or upgrading their locomotive to increase its movement capacity. Players must carefully plan their actions to optimize their network, fulfill objectives, and manage their resources effectively.

Victory points are awarded for several activities. Delivering goods cubes earns points based on the distance traveled and the type of goods. Completing objective cards, which might involve connecting specific cities or delivering certain types of goods, provides additional bonus points. Connecting major cities on the map, such as Boston and Washington, or New York and Chicago, also grants significant victory points. At the end of each round, players receive income based on their established routes, from which dividends for issued stock must be paid.

The game concludes when 14 cities on the board have been emptied of their goods cubes. Once this condition is met, the current round is finished, and then one final round is played. After the last round, all victory points are tallied. This includes points from delivered goods, completed objectives, major route connections, and any bonus points from special cards. The player with the highest total victory points is declared the winner.