# Railways of Sweden ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2022 - **BGG Rating**: 7.7 - **BGG Rank**: — - **Players**: 2-5 (Best with: 3) - **Duration**: 90-120 min - **Weight**: 2.67 / 5 - **Designers**: Ola Nygårds - **Artists**: João Tereso - **Publishers**: Eagle-Gryphon Games - **Categories**: Expansion for Base-game, Trains, Transportation - **Mechanics**: Action Points, Auction / Bidding, Connections, Network and Route Building, Open Drafting, Pick-up and Deliver, Tile Placement, Turn Order: Auction ## Verdict If you love auctions, tracks, and high‑stakes decisions, this expansion will blow your mind.Auctioned turn orderDiverse operation cardsChallenging terrain2‑5 player supportRequires base gameHigher cost than coreHIGHLY RECOMMENDED ## Description Picture yourself laying the first railway network across Sweden, with every track cutting through snowy mountains, winding rivers, and vast plains. Railways of Sweden expands the beloved Railways of the World by adding a map that spans the rugged north and the coastal south of the country. The expansion requires that you already own the base game—whether it's Railways of the World or Railways of Nippon—and then adds new track tiles, operation cards, and scoring tokens that fit any group size from 2 to 5 players. What sets the Swedish map apart is the terrain variety: from pine‑clad hills to crystal‑clear rivers, to hundreds of lakes that demand bridges and ferries. Operation cards bring fresh challenges like “New Mining Town” or “Mountain Engineer,” demanding careful planning and strategic use of action points. The auctioned turn order adds a layer of tension, as the first player can choose the most lucrative route. The Pick‑up and Deliver mechanic encourages transporting goods between cities, while Connections rewards linking critical points. The expansion also includes optional snowy track tiles for a realistic touch in the cold regions. In short, Railways of Sweden is an epic adventure for those who love planning, auctions, and tracks in stunning landscapes. If you already own the Railways of the World core, don’t miss the chance to take your railway empire to Sweden, where every decision can be costly but also highly rewarding. ## How to Play Game Objective In Railways of Sweden, players are railway entrepreneurs in 19th-century Sweden, a land of snowy mountains, dense forests, rivers, and lakes. The goal is to develop the railway network, either by building ferry lines along the southeast coast or by facing the challenges of building through the rocky terrain of the North in search of greater gains. The game is an expansion for Railways of the World, and the winner is the player with the highest score on the Score Track at the end of the game. Setup To set up Railways of Sweden, follow the normal setup rules for Railways of the World. Use the Score Track printed on the game map. For a more relaxed game, you can use the Score Track from Railways of the World or Railways of Nippon. If using the optional Narvik Service Bounty, shuffle all Service Bounties and randomly select 4 to be available at the start of the game. The remaining ones should be returned to the game box. If the Alfred Nobel Rail Baron is used, it must be removed from the game during setup if the Nobel Prize card is in play. Game Flow Refer to the manual for details on this section. Actions and How to Play The rules for this expansion are the same as Railways of the World, with the following exceptions and card additions: Ferry Lines Allowed Ferry Lines are indicated on the map with icons. The only way to build on a Ferry Line is with a corresponding Railroad Operations card. There are 8 Ferry Line points on the board, but only 4 Ferry Line cards and 1 Extended Ferry Line card, meaning only 7 Ferry Line hexes can be built in a game. Railroad Operations Cards Extended Ferry Line: You may build over up to 3 Ferry hexes for free. Government Rural Line: Immediately build up to 7 mountain track segments connecting two Cities as a single Link for free. All players place a Control Locomotive on this Link for free. Government Rural Policy: Relocate up to 2 Goods Cubes from any City to any City further north. Government Rural Grant: Any track built on mountain hexes during a single future Build Track action is free. Mine Deposit: Choose any City adjacent to a mountain hex. Add random Goods Cubes until there are matching colored Cubes in that City. The minimum number of Goods Cubes added will be 1 (even if there was already a matching pair of Cubes in that City) and the maximum would be 6 (if the City was empty and you drew 1 of each color before drawing a duplicate color). Mountain Engineer: In a single future Build Track action, all mountain hexes cost half price for that build. New Mining Town: Place a free New City tile on a mountain hex of your choice and add 2 random Goods Cubes. You may build 1 adjacent track tile for free. Nobel Prize: Add 3 new random Goods Cubes to Stockholm. Remove the Alfred Nobel Rail Baron from the game in setup. Northern Goods: Deliver 1 Goods Cube from one City to another City further north during a future Deliver One Goods Cube action and earn $5,000. Östersund Local Campaign: Score 3 points when Östersund has no Goods Cubes. Discard this card if Östersund is already empty when this card is revealed and draw another to replace it. Passenger Express: During a future Deliver One Goods Cube action, deliver 1 Goods Cube to a City with a Hotel and earn $5,000. Rails to the North: Immediately build up to 6 mountain track segments connecting two Cities as a single Link, paying all building costs normally. Stockholm Grand Hotel: Score 2 points on the income track for each Goods Cube delivered to Stockholm by another player. Wedge Plow: In a single future Deliver Goods Cube action, you may deliver 1 Link further than your Engine Level. Optional Rail Barons Fredrik Arvidsson Posse: Score 5 points if you have the least amount of money at the end of the game. (Ties are not allowed.) Julius Fritzner: Score 2/4/6 points for owning 2/3/4+ Hotels at the end of the game. Ola af Nygårds: Score 5 points if you have the lowest Engine Level at the end of the game. (Ties are not allowed.) End of Game and Scoring The game ends when a certain number of Empty City Markers is reached, depending on the number of players: 2 Players: 8 Empty City Markers 3 Players: 10 Empty City Markers 4 Players: 12 Empty City Markers 5 Players: 13 Empty City Markers At the end of the game, remember to reduce your score by 1 victory point for each Bond Certificate issued. The highest score, as indicated on the Score Track, is the winner. If a player scores more than 50 points on the Score Track, give that player a +50 Victory Point token as a reminder that their score includes an additional 50 points. All income above 49 points on the Score Track is $10. Tips for Winning Carefully consider the use of Ferry Lines. While there are 8 points on the board, only 7 Ferry Line hexes can be built in a game due to the limited number of cards. Plan your ferry routes strategically. Keep track of the Score Track. It has a steeper rise and fall than the Income Track of the base game Railways of the World. Managing your income and victory points is crucial. If using the optional Rail Barons, try to fulfill their objectives. For example, if Fredrik Arvidsson Posse is in play, managing your money to have the least at the end can yield an extra 5 points. ## FAQ ### How many players can play? 2 to 5 players. ### What is the typical game length? Between 90 and 120 minutes. ### Do I need to own Railways of the World? Yes, the expansion only works with the base game, either Railways of the World or Railways of Nippon. ### What are the main mechanics? Action points, auction, route building, open drafting, pick‑up and deliver, and tile placement. ### Is the expansion harder than the base game? Yes, the more rugged terrain and operation cards require extra planning. ### Are there special track tiles? Yes, there are snowy track tiles that can be used optionally in the cold regions. ### Is there a digital version? Yes, there are online implementations on Board Game Arena. ## Price Comparison ### Best International Offers - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 37.49 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=3862480&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 44.68 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=4351725&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 46.41 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=4781667&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 47.67 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=3715869&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 52.01 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=3862209&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on BoardGamePrices: https://boardgameprices.com/item/show/42165/railways-of-sweden?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com