The monopoly game has 4 well-placed railroads/stations on the Monopoly board.
These are some of the most popular spaces where players often land and you can think to strategically acquire in the span of the game.
But, to acquire and utilize them for winning, you need to know about Monopoly Railroad rules.
In this post, I will discuss in-depth all you need to know about each of the Monopoly Railroads or Stations in the Game so that you are aware of the proper rules when you or someone lands during the game.
I will cover both US Railroads and the UK version of Railroads with their names, Rules, Cost, Rent, and more in this complete guide.
Let’s get started!
What are Railroads in Monopoly?
The railroad space or stations in Monopoly are lucrative properties with a high number of visitors footfall.
You can buy one or two railroads or even you can buy three or four and it will be highly beneficial as acquiring more you will get more rents on them too and it can be the best strategy to win the game.
They yield enormous payoff percentages, and you can have the upper hand in the game if you own the railroads.
They are a reliable source of cash in the game, and a player who owns all four railroads can prevent any opponent from the building and is positioned at 5th place on each side of the game board.
Due to this unique positioning, the player can also land on a railroad wither by community chest card or dice roll chance.
Since they are excellent properties to own in the monopoly game, players are too inclined to hold them, but the rules for buying the railroads are pretty complex.
The rent for railroads depends on how many railroads or stations you own. The basic rule is the more railroads you own, the higher your payable rent.
But the exception is: that when you land on a mortgaged railroad space, you are not liable for any rent.
However, you can still sell it to any other players in the game. In that case, the other player needs to pay off the mortgage remaining with your Railroad to get the mortgage lifted.
So, the mortgage does not affect in case of selling the property.
The new owner has the option either to pay off the mortgage amount immediately during acquisition or they can wait. If they wait for some time, then they have to pay an extra 10 % interest.
What are the 4 Major Railroads in Monopoly US?
The four Major Railroads in Monopoly US Editions are:
Reading Railroad
You need to correct your pronunciation here. It is not pronounced Rea-ding, but it is red-ding.
This rail track was initially constructed as a connector between Reading of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania.
The reading railroad served the following areas – Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and Maryland.
The presence of several coal mines in these areas turned out to be a high profit for this rail track later in 1976.
The Reading company sold off its rail holding to Conrail, including the Reading Seashore Line assets.
Pennsylvania Railroad
It is also abbreviated as PRR, and the common name is Pennsy.
It is the “Standard Railroad of the World”. The initial railroad connected Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
But the railroads surrounding the region of New York, St.Louis, Washington DC, and Chicago.
Pennsylvania railroads were considered the most extensive global railroad in terms of heavy traffic.
It also served Atlantic City. In 1968, the railroad got changed into New York Central.
B. & O. Railroad
B & O stands for Baltimore and Ohio railroads.
The idea to construct this railroad was to connect the Baltimore port to someplace across the Ohio river.
It was the first standard carrier railroad built in 1827.
Later on, the railroads were extended from Baltimore to Washington, DC.
The rail track then became similar to that of the Pennysylvania Railtrack.
It has now become rivals with the Pennysylvania railroad, but the most significant difference between the two is that: B&O does not serve Atlantic City.
Short Line
This railroad does not exist in reality. It is the historic Shore Fast Line. It ceased its operation in 1948. This is just an invention of the game’s designer.
This one is, in fact, not even a full-fledged rail line.
It is an interurban tram line that covers short to medium distances and can operate independently on rail tracks.
In today’s world, you can find something similar in the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA).
What are the 4 Major Railroads in Monopoly UK?
The four Major Railroads in Monopoly UK Edition are:
King Cross Station
This is the first railway station in the British monopoly edition.
The analogous American railway station is Reading Railroad, named after one of the most famous actual British rail stations.
Marylebone Station
This is the second rail station of the British monopoly.
The American equivalent is the Pennysylvania Railroad, named after Marylebone’s famous London rail station.
The color is pink, the rent for owning is 25 euros, and the mortgage value is 100 euros.
Fenchurch Street Station
This one is the third railroad station of the UK version of Monopoly.
In reality, the Fenchurch St station has no direct access to the Underground passage of London and only four platforms.
The actual Fenchurch station is a tiny one.
Liverpool St. Station
It is the fourth railway station in the UK edition of Monopoly. In real life, it is the third busiest station in London.
Monopoly Railroads Cost and Rent
The cost of each monopoly railroad is $200 as a list price.
However, if a payer does not want to buy the railroad at this list price, the railroad ownership will pass for an auction, and the highest bidder will win the railroad.
The rents for the railroads are:
- $ 25 rent for 1 railroad,
- $ 50 rent for 2 railroads,
- $ 100 rent for 3 railroads, and
- $ 200 rent for 4 railroads.
What does the railroad do in Monopoly?
Railroads are an essential dimension in determining the winner in the game of Monopoly.
The rule is: that when you land on an unowned railroad, you have the opportunity to buy it for a price of generally $200.
When someone lands on a railroad that you one as a player, they got to give you rent at the rate of $25 for 1 railroad, $50 for 2 railroads, $100 for 3 railroads, and $200 for 4 railroads.
What is the story behind the four railroads of Monopoly?
The board game Monopoly is developed based on the geopolitics of the Atlantic City and New Jersey region.
The four railroads of the monopoly game are the major regional players in this area.
They have practiced business monopoly for a long time rather than serving the beach resort town of the coasts.
Monopoly RailRoad Rules
There are multiple rules around monopoly railroads. Some make the game complex. These rules justify the true winning spirit of the monopoly game.
They apply to several aspects of the game, such as buying, mortgaging, and establishing structures. Let us look at some of the rules.
Monopoly Railroad Buying Rules
If any player lands on a railroad and if the railroad is unowned, they are eligible to buy it for the listed price.
However, a player may not be interested in purchasing the railroad they land on.
In such a scenario, the railroad will go for auction, and the highest bidder gets the opportunity to buy the railroad.
Concerning the rent of the railroads, it depends on the number of railroads you own. The person with one railroad will get much less rent and more as they acquire more railroads. We will see this in the rent section below. So, try to keep acquiring the next railroads as you go.
You may buy another railroad from another player if you didn’t get them all in your turns. For that, you can negotiate the price with the other player and buy from them.
Monopoly RailRoad Rent Rules
If any player lands on your railroad in the Monopoly board, they must pay you rent.
The amount of rent owed depends on how many railroads you own.
The rent goes as follows: $25 for 1 railroad, $50 for 2 railroads, $100 for 3 railroads, and $200 for 4 railroads.
If you are the owner landing on your owned railroad or other property, you owe yourself zero dollars, i.e you need not pay anyone, and it’s like a resting place for you.
If anyone lands on either one of the 4 railroads you own, the player must pay rent of $ 200 to you. Only after rent is paid fully, the next player rolls the dice.
Another thing for acquired railroads, even if one is mortgaged, there is no discount on the rent. The player landing on them must pay the full rent as per the rule above.
But the owner must ask for rent before the next player would start to roll off the dice.
If the owner misses the chance, they will not be entitled to rent. So, don’t be inattentive in the game as you may lose your rent.
In railroads/stations, you cannot build houses and hotels which you can build in any other space on the Monopoly board. So, to increase the rent here, the only way is to acquire more unowned stations.
Monopoly Railroad Mortgage Rules
If a player cannot pay the rent, they can put any property for a mortgage to the bank and get the money.
The player can earn cash against mortgages only from banks.
Inter-player transfer of funds is not allowed except for sale.
The players must repay the amount to the bank within time to lift the mortgage. An additional 10% interest is levied on players for a mortgage.
What happens if you own all four railroads in Monopoly?
If you own all four railroads in Monopoly when another player lands on either of the railroads will pay you a rent of $200. The number of railroads acquired affects the rent owed.
Traveling Between Monopoly Railroads
We see many events in the game, where players may travel on their acquired railroads for free. Even if the player does not choose to travel during their turn after landing on a railroad, he/she still needs to pay the rent for that space. However, this happens as per the fan-created non-official House Rules of Monopoly.
If you go by the official Monopoly Rules, then you cannot travel from one Monopoly Railway to another one.
Buying Railroads In Monopoly Pros and Cons
Monopoly may seem fun initially, but it has many darker shades and is an unforgiving game that is surrealistically analogous to real-time.
Here are the pros and cons which you need to know:
Pros
- Owning railroads will entitle you to rent.
- Anyone who passes by or uses the railroads will pay rent at the rate of $25 for 1 railroad, $50 for 2 railroads, $100 for 3 railroads, and $200 for 4 railroads.
- You will also get a list price of $200 if another player buys the railroad from you.
- You may also get higher prices by selling the railroads at auction.
Cons
The not-so-good part of owning railroads in monopoly is that:
- Taking loans out of any extra property will add up to your bills and may cause spending issues in the latter half of the game.
- Paying off debts on time becomes vital if you buy railroads as a mortgage.
Are Monopoly Railroads Worth it?
The railroads and stations in Monopoly are worth it only if you can collect at least three or four of them. The return is usually 50% to 100% each time.
Monopoly Strategy using Railroads
A strategy can be to acquire 4 railroads early and then collect higher rent from other players. In case you need some Monopoly Money, you can even Mortgage the railroad. Even if all your railroads are mortgaged, you can sell them to other players without repaying the mortgage amount.
It’s possible to win the Monopoly game, by creating a strategy based solely on the Railroad and the utilities.
Monopoly Railroads(Station) FAQs
Q. Can you put a house on Railroads in Monopoly?
In the Monopoly game, you can never build a house or hotel on any rail station. All you can do is add some properties like hotels in the colored sections of the railroads only when you collected the entire set.
Q. How many Railroads are there in Monopoly?
There are four railroads in the Monopoly game: Reading Railroad, Pennsylvania Railroad, B&O railroad, and Short Line railroad. These are components of the American edition of Monopoly.
Q. Can you Travel on Railroads in Monopoly?
Any player of the Monopoly game can travel on their railroads in the Monopoly game free of cost. Players cannot travel on any unowned railroads. Any railroad owners should not prevent other players from traveling across their owned railroads.
Q. What does B&O Railroad stand for in Monopoly?
B&O is the abbreviation for Baltimore and Ohio. It is the third railroad in the US Edition of the Monopoly game. The location of this railroad is between Illinois and Atlantic avenue.
Q. Which one of the four railroads in Monopoly was not a real railroad?
The short-line railroads in Monopoly were not real railroads.
Conclusion
Let’s conclude the post on Monopoly Railroad Rules!
So, as you got to know about the Railroads in Monopoly, you can consider acquiring railroads in your strategy. Keep looking for a chance to acquire them early in the Game.
I hope you liked reading this post and found this useful.
What’s Next?
You can check the different Official Monopoly Rules Here in this guide.
Here are Unofficial and Fan Made Monopoly House Rules too to spice up your game.
