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Next Station: London

1-4 players 25-30 min 7.4 Board Game Geek Rating

Players compete as project managers redesigning London's underground system. Each turn, reveal station cards and draw new track sections to optimize four tube lines. Victory goes to whoever best connects stations, serves tourist attractions, and utilizes Thames tunnels while meeting city requirements in this strategic network-building challenge.

Published 2022

Next Station: London

Get Ready

Setup the game with these step-by-step instructions before diving into your turn.

1
Distribute player materials
Each player takes 1 London map sheet and 1 colored pencil, placing them in front of themselves
2
Handle extra pencils for 3 players
Place the remaining pencil on the table between any two players for later use
3
Handle extra pencils for 2 players
Place one of the 2 remaining pencils to the left of each player for later use
4
Set aside advanced modules for first game
Leave the 5 common goal cards and 4 pencil ability cards in the box until you've played several games with base rules
5
Determine first controller
The player who most recently rode the metro becomes the controller for the first round
6
Prepare station cards
The controller shuffles all 11 station cards and places them face-down as a deck in the center of the table
7
Optional: Add common goals
Shuffle the 5 common goal cards face-down, draw 2 random cards, and place them face-up near the station deck
8
Optional: Add pencil abilities
Shuffle the 4 ability cards face-down and assign one random card to each pencil, then reveal them

On Your Turn

What you can do during your turn.

1
Locate your departure station
Find the station on your map matching your current pencil color - this is where your metro line begins
2
Draw station cards
Each turn, the controller flips the top station card face-up and places it visible to all players
3
Draw a section
All players simultaneously draw one section on their map connecting to a station matching the revealed symbol
4
Follow section rules
Each section must be a straight horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line drawn on the gray dotted lines
5
Connect properly
The first section must start from your departure station; subsequent sections must extend from either end of your line
6
Connect to matching stations
Each section must end at a station displaying the same symbol as the revealed card
7
Use the central station
Connect to the question mark station regardless of which symbol was revealed
8
Skip drawing if desired
You may choose not to draw a section on any turn
9
Avoid crossing lines
Never draw through other stations or cross any previously drawn sections of any color
10
Never revisit stations
You cannot pass through the same station twice with the same line
11
Limit connections between stations
You cannot draw more than one section between the same two stations
12
Use departure stations as regular stops
Other colored lines may pass through departure stations when the matching symbol appears
13
Create transfer stations
From round 2 onward, route multiple lines through the same station to create transfers worth bonus points
14
End the round
When the controller reveals the 5th pink/yellow background card, draw one final section, then the round ends
15
Use the joker card
When revealed, choose any symbol for your new section
16
Use the railway switch card
Draw a new section starting from any station on your existing line, creating a branch
17
Score your line
Calculate points for route coverage, Thames crossings, and tourist sites
18
Track tourist sites
Cross off one circle on your tourist track for each tourist site (star symbol) on your line
19
Pass pencils
Give your pencil to the player on your left and receive one from your right
20
Use pencil abilities once per round
Activate special powers then flip the ability card face-down

Winning

How to claim victory.

1
Complete four rounds
The game ends after all players have drawn their network of 4 differently colored metro lines
2
Calculate line totals
Add together the points scored from all 4 individual lines
3
Score tourist sites
Find the leftmost uncrossed circle on your tourist track and record that number (maximum 25 points for 10+ sites)
4
Score transfer stations
Count stations where multiple lines connect
5
Score common goals
Add 10 points for each achieved common goal
6
Calculate final score
Add line points, tourist site points, transfer station points, and common goal bonuses
7
Determine the winner
The player with the most points wins and is declared the best London metro planner
8
Break ties
The player with the highest single line score wins; if still tied, players share the victory
9
Solo scoring adjustment
If using additional modules, subtract 10 points per module from your final score
10
Compare solo results
Check your score against the achievement scale (under 90 is poor, over 150 is expert level)

watch & Learn

Let the pros teach you with these top videos.

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FULL rules

Looking for the full details? Grab the complete rulebook as a downloadable PDF.

PDF RULEBOOK

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