Overview
At a glance
Is this game right for my group?
ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.
Harder to teach
High replayability
Highly interactive
Scales well
Deep strategy
How it plays
How does it play?
Westward Rails is a stock-holding and route-building game about western expansion in the United States.
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Auction/Bidding
Bid against other players to determine who receives an item, action, or priority.
Investment
Commit resources now to improve income, control, or value later.
Network and Route Building
Create connected routes that improve reach, delivery, control, or scoring.
Stock Holding
Acquire shares whose value depends on companies, assets, or player actions.
Read the full game description
Westward Rails is a stock-holding and route-building game about western expansion in the United States. Three-to-five players will bid on shares in five historical railroads, use that money to build routes, connect specific cities to satisfy demands, and develop important metropolitan areas, all with the aim of securing bigger and bigger dividends for the companies in which they are invested. Westward Rails is played on a point-to-point map, sprawling out west by connecting cities to make major profit. On your turn, you choose to build, auction, or upgrade. This continues around the table until all demands have been met or companies run out of track. Most money wins the game.