# Russian Railroads

Russian Railroads is a board game for 2–4 players. It plays in 120 minutes and is meant for ages 13 and up. Ludoya players call it best with 4. It is rated 7.1 out of 10 by 85 Ludoya reviewers. The cheapest copy in stock is $137.88 (United States).

- **Players:** 2–4 (best with 4)
- **Playing time:** 120 minutes
- **Minimum age:** 13+
- **Complexity:** 3.4 out of 5
- **Year published:** 2013
- **Categories:** Industry / Manufacturing, Trains
- **Mechanics:** Tech Trees / Tech Tracks, Turn Order: Claim Action, Worker Placement, End Game Bonuses
- **Ludoya rating:** 7.1 out of 10, from 85 reviews
- **Owned by:** 81 Ludoya players
- **Plays logged on Ludoya:** 566
- **Unique players:** 414

**Designers:** Leonhard "Lonny" Orgler, Helmut Ohley

**Artists:** Claus Stephan, Martin Hoffmann

**Publishers:** Hans im Glück

## Expansions

- [Russian Railroads: German Railroads](https://www.ludoya.com/games/russian-railroads-german-railroads)
- [Russian Railroads: American Railroads](https://www.ludoya.com/games/russian-railroads-american-railroads)
- [Russian Railroads: Mini-Expansion](https://www.ludoya.com/games/russian-railroads-mini-expansion)
- [Russian Railroads: Juri Dreigleisky](https://www.ludoya.com/games/russian-railroads-juri-dreigleisky)
- [Russian Railroads: Manufactory Train](https://www.ludoya.com/games/russian-railroads-manufactory-train)

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## Rules questions

### How do the top and bottom rails work — can I extend colored tracks independently of the black track or vice versa?

Top and bottom rails are separate tracks: you extend each color on its own rail following the range and placement restrictions, and the black track is advanced independently from the colored rails; you can only extend a rail where its action allows (top vs bottom). (Rulebook pp.6–7)

### When I take a locomotive action, what happens to the old locomotives — do they move, chain, or become factories?

Placing a new locomotive advances existing locomotives to the right, which can cause chain reactions of movement; if a locomotive cannot be placed on the track it is turned into a factory instead. (Rulebook pp.8–9)

### When and how do factories get built or give their benefit?

Factories are created or replaced by industrialization actions or when locomotives are turned into factories, and their benefits trigger immediately as described on the factory tile; different industrial actions determine which factory options are available. (Rulebook pp.11–12)

### If I place a worker on the turn-order track, can I use that worker again later in the same round?

Workers placed on the turn-order track remain there until the turn-order is reorganized; you only retrieve (and may reuse) those workers when the reorganization returns them to your supply according to the turn-order rules. (Rulebook p.15)

### What do engineers do and how is engineer majority scored at the end?

Engineers provide the in-game benefits shown on their tiles (including left-most and light-side rules) when hired or used, and at game end engineers are scored for majority as part of final scoring with movement and majority rules described in the scoring phase. (Rulebook pp.13–14, 20)

### When does scoring happen and how does the Last Round and final scoring work?

Railroad and industrial scoring follow the scoring-phase procedures (score railroads and industry as described), the Last Round is triggered and handled via the Last Round/replacement action, and final scoring then includes end-bonus cards and engineer majority as detailed. (Rulebook pp.18–20)

## Links

- [This page](https://www.ludoya.com/games/russian-railroads)
- [Russian Railroads in the Ludoya app](https://app.ludoya.com/g/russian-railroads)
- [BoardGameGeek entry](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/144733)

_Data from Ludoya, updated 2026-09-19. Ratings, ownership and play counts are Ludoya's own._