Learn Railways of the Lost Atlas

Learn the game in 5 short steps. Everything links to the full rules.

Build the Atlas

Placing a map tile: it must share at least three edges and never touch a black border hex

You are investors, not railways. Every game starts by building a new map together from tri-hex tiles, so look at the terrain and the Minor homes before the first auction. After 4 cycles (Short) or 6 (Long), the richest investor — cash plus shares — wins.

Open the setup checklist to pick the right game for your player count.

Launch Companies

A Minor Company charter: treasury on the left, trains on the right, its ability at the bottom

In the Stock Round you bid at least 120 for the right to pick one of the available Minors. The whole bid goes into the company’s treasury, and its starting share price is half the bid. Your own cash and the company’s money never mix; every Minor bends one rule with its ability.

Read Stock Rounds and The Companies.

Connect Routes

Two routes of Northern Port, each touching its hub and sharing no track

In each of the two Operating Rounds your companies lay two yellow tiles or one upgrade, then run each train along its own route. A route must touch one of the company’s hubs and counts up to the train’s number of stops. Pay the revenue out (20% per Minor share) to raise the price, or keep it in the treasury.

Read Operating Rounds.

Manage Trains

The train cards from 2-trains to the grey 7/∞

Every company must own a train. The first 4-train rusts all 2-trains, the first 6 the 3s, the first 7/∞ the 4s, and every cycle ends by exporting the top train — so the stack moves even when nobody buys. From green, two connected Minors may merge into a Major Corporation.

Read Trains and Mergers.

Count Your Fortune

After the last cycle, add your cash and the value of every share you own at its final price. Company treasuries do not count. Once comfortable, try the solo Conglomerate, the variants or the Landmarks expansion.