Next Station Paris Board Game: Rules for How to Play

Objective

The objective of Next Station Paris is to score the most points by creating the most optimized routes for the 4 metro lines of Paris.

Setup

Each player takes a map sheet and one of the colored pencils.
If there are less than four players, you will set the remaining pencils on the table.
- In three players games, take the remaining pencil and place it between two of the players.
- In two player games, take the remaining pencils and place one to the left and right of both players.
Choose a name for your network planner and write it in the blank at the top of your sheet.
The player who has most recently taken the metro becomes the controller for the first round.

How to Play Next Station Paris

You will play Next Station Paris over four rounds. In each round you will be drawing a different metro line using the color of your current colored pencil. Each round consists of four different phases.

Identify departure station
Build your metro line
Score points for your line
Get ready to build your next metro line

Identify Departure Station

Look at the colored pencil that you currently hold. This color indicates which metro line you will be drawing this round. Throughout the game the players will pass the pencils so you will get to create a line for each of the colors. Look for the station that is the color matching your pencil. You will start your line from this location.

Identifying your departure station — This player currently has the green pencil. They will start their current metro line from the green triangle station.

Build Your Metro Line

The current controller takes the 11 Station cards and shuffles them. After shuffling them, they will place the cards face down in the middle of the table.

The controller starts by taking the top card from the pile of Station cards, and flips it over. The card features a symbol unless it is one of the special cards. All of the players will look at their map and try to find a station near their metro line that has the symbol from the card. You can only add lines to either end of your current metro line. When drawing a line you must make sure that you are following all of the construction rules. Check the Construction Rules section below for details.

Drawing a line in Next Station Paris — The first card drawn this round has a pentagon on it. This player has decided to draw their first line to one of the nearby pentagon stations.

Drawing a new section for your metro line is optional. If you can’t add a section to your current line or you don’t want to, you can ignore the card that is flipped over. In this case you will wait until the rest of the players are done drawing a section.

After everyone is done drawing a section, the controller flips over another card and the players will draw another section. This will continue until the controller flips over the fifth Metro card (has a blue and green background). The players will still be able to draw a section for the fifth Metro card. The current phase then ends.

End of round in Next Station Paris — The fifth blue card has been drawn. The current round ends.

Score Points For Your Line

After each player is done drawing their current metro line, you will determine how many points your line scores you. For each metro line you will fill in one of the columns of the scoring section of your sheet. You can score points from each metro line in three different ways.

Itinerary

There are 13 different districts on the map. The districts are separated by a yellow line. The central platform is considered its own district. Count up the number of districts that the metro line passes into. Write down the number of districts into the top box from the current metro line’s scoring section.

Scoring the number of districts — For their green metro line, this player visited five of the districts (top left corner, the three districts below it, and the central platform). They will write down five in the first box of the first column.

Count up how many stations the metro line passes through in each district. Determine in which district the metro line visited the most stations. Monuments and the central platform are considered stations. Overhead crossings do not count as stations. In the box below the one where you wrote the number of districts, write down the max number of stations that you visited in a single district.

Scoring the number of stations visited in one district — The green metro line visited the most stations in the district that has the blue departure station. It visited six stations in that district. They will write six in the next box in the first column.

Parisian Monuments

Count the number of monuments that your metro line includes. Each monument is worth two points. Multiply the number of monuments in the metro line by two, and write the number in the third box in the current column.

Scoring the visited monuments — The green metro line ended up visiting two different monuments. Since each monument is worth two points, the player scores four points from monuments.

Totaling the Points

After you have the individual points for your metro line, you will figure out the total points earned by the line. First multiply the number of districts by the number of stations visited in one district. Then add in the points earned by the monuments. Write the total in the last box in the column.

Determining the total number of points scored for a metro line — Since the green line visited five different districts and visited six stations in one district, those two numbers are multiplied for a total of 30. When you add in the four points from the monuments, this player scored 34 points for their green metro line.

Get Ready to Build the Next Metro Line

After the players have finished scoring, you will get ready for the next round. Take the colored pencil from the player on your right. If there are less than four players you may have a pencil laid on the table to your right. In this case take the pencil from the table on your right. You will use the pencil you take in the next round.

The player on the left of the current controller becomes the controller for the next round.

Next Station Paris Construction Rules

Each round you will be creating a different metro line. The metro line will consist of a number of lines drawn between different stations. Each line that connects two stations is called a section.

When drawing a section it must follow a dotted line on the map between two stations. The first section added to each metro line has to start at the departure station. You will find a nearby station (with the symbol from the flipped over card) that is connected to the departure station with a dotted line. To create the section you will draw over the dotted line with your current pencil.

Drawing the first line — The first card drawn for the purple metro line was a circle. This player decided to draw a line to the circle station to the right.

After you draw the first section, you will draw every other section on either end of the current metro line.

Drawing a second line in a metro line — The second card is a pentagon. This player has a couple options for where they can draw their next line. From the circle station they are connected to they can either go to the station above or below that have the matching symbol. From the purple station they can draw up to the pentagon station above it.

Specific Rules

When drawing sections there are some specific rules that you need to follow:

You may only draw a section where there is a dotted line.
When drawing you may never change the direction of your line. Basically you can only draw a straight line.

Changing directions on a line — This player drew a line from the triangle station that goes up and then turns to the right. This is not allowed in Next Station Paris.

You may never draw a line that passes through a station to reach a different station.

Drawing through a station — This player tried to draw through the circle station to make it to the square station. This is not allowed.

When drawing a line you can never pass through another line. The one exception is overhead crossings (see below).

Drawing through one of your lines — This player has tried to draw a line through one of the lines they already drew (making an X). This is not allowed.

Only one line can be draw on each connection between two stations. Basically you can’t draw two lines next to one another that travel between the same two stations.

Drawing two lines on the same connection — This player tried to draw a purple and green line along the same dotted line. They cannot do this.

A metro line can never go through the same station twice. This includes the central platform. Basically you can’t make a loop.

Connecting twice to the same station — This player drew a line from the circle to the monument, then to the square, and finally back to the triangle. This is not allowed since they already visited the triangle station creating a loop.

Special Cards

Most of the cards feature a single symbol. You will use this symbol to figure out where you would like to draw the next section of your current metro line. There are a couple special cards though which will give the players a unique action that they can take.

Free Entry or Guided Tour

When one of these cards are flipped over, each player gets a choice of two different actions that they can take on their turn.

First you can chooses the free entry action. With this action you can ignore the symbols on each station. You can draw a section to any station as long as you follow every other construction rule.

Using the free entry action — This player has decided to use the card to take the free entry action. They will draw a line from the triangle station at the top to the circle station on the left.

Otherwise you can take the guided tour action. With this action you can connect your current metro line to one of the monuments. You must be able to connect it following the normal construction rules. You can then draw a section moving from the monument to another station. When drawing the second section you can ignore the symbol on the station, but you must follow all other construction rules.

Using a Guided Tour — This player has decided to use the guided tour action from this card. They will draw a line straight down from the square station to the monument. They will then draw another line straight down to the next square station.

Railway Switch

When you reveal a railway switch card, the controller immediately flips over another card. The railway switch gives the players a unique option this turn.

Normally players can only draw new sections at the two ends of their current metro line. When a railway switch card is drawn though, players have the option to draw a section from anywhere on their metro line to a nearby station that matches the symbol on the second revealed card. This new section is the start of a railway switch.

Creating a railway switch — This player’s green line was moving towards the top left corner. Using the railway switch card the player decided to draw a line from the monument to the triangle station along the left side.

If the central platform is already in your metro line, you can use the railway switch to leave the central platform in a second direction.

Leaving the central platform using a railway switch — In the past this player entered the central platform from the bottom right and moved from the platform in the top left. With the railway switch and triangle card the player decided to leave the central platform in a second place to the triangle station on the bottom left.

If a player decides to make a railway switch, on future turns they can add new sections to the three ends of the current metro line.

You cannot use a railway switch to make a loop in your metro line.

This action is optional. If you can’t or don’t want to make a railway switch, you can just add a new section to either end of your current metro line.

Departure Stations

You will start each of your metro lines at the corresponding departure station. Departure stations also can be used as normal stations. You can have other metro lines move through the station as long as a card with the corresponding symbol is flipped over.

Central Platform

In the middle of the map is the central platform. The platform has all four symbols on it which means that you can connect to it no matter what symbol is on the current card. After a metro line is connected to the central platform, it can leave from any of the dotted lines (that haven’t already been drawn on).

Each metro line may only enter and leave the central platform once.

Parisian Monuments

There are eight Parisian monuments around the map. Each of these monuments count as a station. Since they have no symbol, you can connect to them with any symbol that is flipped over.

Connect to Parisian Monument — This player has connected their green metro line to a Parisian Monument. They can drawn a line from the monument to a neighboring station that matches the symbol from a future card.

At the end of the round you will score points for each Parisian monument connected to it. Each monument connected to the line is worth two points.

Overhead Crossings

Normally two lines may never cross one another. There are eight overhead crossings on the map though. If a metro line passes through an overhead crossing, you can either draw the line above or below the crossing. The line must continue in the same direction it was moving when it entered the crossing. When you draw the other line, you will draw it through the other part of the overhead crossing.

Using an overhead crossing — This player has used both sides of the overhead crossing. The orange line uses it to move left while the blue line uses it to move up.

Overhead crossing are not considered stations. The same metro line can pass through both sections of the overhead crossing as it isn’t considered creating a loop.

Interchange Stations

Starting in the second round of Next Station Paris, there is the possibility of creating interchange stations. An interchange station is a station where two or more metro lines connect. Creating interchange stations score you points at the end of the game.

Creating a two line interchange station — The circle station in the middle of the picture has the purple and orange lines move through it. This creates a two line interchange station.

Interchange station three lines — The shown pentagon station has the blue, orange, and purple lines connect to it. This player has completed a three line interchange station.

Overhead crossings are not stations so they do not score points if two metro lines pass through it. The central platform can be used to create a interchange station though.

Determining the Winner

The game ends after all of the players have completed the fourth round. To determine the final winner of the game, you will total the amount of points you scored from each line as well as a few bonus sources of points.

Completed Next Station Paris map — This player has completed their four metro lines. They will now determine their final score.

Metro Line Points

First add together the points that you scored from your four metro lines. Write the total in the bottom blue box to the right of the scoring columns for each metro line.

Total points scored for all of the metro lines — This player ended up scoring a total of 109 points from their metro lines.

Overhead Crossings

Next you will look and see how you used the overhead crossings in your network. Look at each overhead crossing and count up how many of your lines passed through the crossing. Each crossing that was used once is worth two points. Each crossing that is used twice is worth six points. Total up the points you scored for each type of crossing and write the total next to the total for the metro lines.

Interchange Stations

Look at each of the interchange stations on your map. An interchange station is a station that has two or more different metro lines pass through it. You will score points for each interchange station based on the number of lines connected to it.

2 Lines – 2 points
3 lines – 5 points
4 lines – 9 points

The central platform also counts as a station and can score points as an interchange station.

Write down the points scored for each type of interchange station. Write the total of all the interchange stations in the green box.

Scoring interchange stations in Next Station Paris — This player was able to create ten different interchange stations that connected two different metro lines. They also created one interchange station that connected three different metro lines.

Final Score

Figure out your final score by adding together all of your subtotals. Write your final score in the box in the bottom right corner. The players compare their scores. Whichever player scores the most points wins Next Station Paris.

If there is a tie for the highest score, the tied players find the metro line that scored them the most points. Whichever tied player has the most valuable metro line wins the game. If two or more players are still tied, the players share the victory.

Advanced Mode

If you would like to play a more advanced version of Next Station Paris, you can choose to use the advanced mode rules. There are two different additional rules that you can add to the game.

Shared Objectives

In addition to the normal setup, take the five Shared Objective cards and shuffle them. Randomly draw two of the cards and set them faceup next to the Station cards on the table.

Throughout the game the players can try to complete the two faceup Shared Objective cards in order to score bonus points. For each Shared Objective you complete, you will score an additional ten points at the end of the game. The Shared Objective cards in the game are as follows.

For the above Shared Objective card you will try to create a metro network (between the four metro lines) that has a least three interchange stations that have three or more metro lines that pass through them.

To complete the above objective you need to create a metro line that crosses into at least seven different districts.

For this objective between your four metro lines you need to connect to at least six Parisian monuments.

Between all four of your metro lines you need to fill in both lines that enter at least two different overhead crossings.

To complete this objective you need to have at least one of your metro lines pass into each of the main eight districts. This does not count the districts in the four corners and the district in the central platform.

During final scoring you will put a checkmark in a ten point box on the right side of the scoring area for each shared objective you complete. You will add these points to your final score.

Scoring points for completing one of the shared objectives — This player has completed one of the shared objectives. They will score ten points for completing the objective.

City Gates

If you choose to use these rules, you will use the four secondary district cards and four bonus cards.

Place the four secondary district cards in a column in the middle of the table. Each card represents the station in one of the corners of the map.

Then shuffle the bonus cards and place one card next to each of the secondary district cards. Each bonus card will be associated with the corresponding district for the rest of the game.

Placing the secondary district cards next to the bonus cards — The players have placed the secondary district cards next to the bonus cards. Each time you connect to the corner station matching the symbol on the left, you get to take the corresponding action on the right.

During the game whenever you connect a metro line to one of the corner stations, you get to take the corresponding special action. You can activate a special action each time you connect a metro line to the corresponding station. When you unlock the special action, you must take it right away. If you don’t want to use the action, you can choose not to use it. Should you use the ability of one special action to connect to another corner station, you have to take the first special action before you can take the action from the second station.

Bonus Card Special Effects

Railway Switch and Free Entry

When you activate this ability you can immediately make a railway switch. Choose any station on your current metro line and connect it to any other nearby station. This does not have to be at the ends of your metro line. You can ignore the symbol on the station you want to connect your metro line to.

Double Free Entry

You can immediately draw two additional sections for your current metro line. The sections can be added to either end of your metro line. You could choose to add two sections to one end, or one section to each end.

Double District

Immediately draw a square around the corner district that you got this special ability from. This district will now count as two districts when scoring the metro line at the end of the round. This bonus only applies in a round when you connect to the station. If you are also playing with the Shared Objectives, this special district only counts as one district for the objective of reaching at least seven different districts.

Double Station

When you activate this ability, choose one of the stations that are part of your current metro line. Circle your chosen station. This station counts as two stations during scoring at the end of the round. This station only receives the bonus during the current round. You cannot use this ability to circle one of the special stations.

Combining Next Station Paris with Next Station London or Tokyo

If you own multiple games in the Next Station series, you can combine them together in a couple ways.

You can use the Pencil Power cards from Next Station London in either Next Station Paris or Tokyo.
The Special Station cards from Next Station Tokyo can be used in Next Station London or Paris.
You can use the City Gate cards from Next Station Paris in either Next Station Tokyo or London.

The game recommends you only use one of these combinations each game. You cannot use the Shared Objective cards from one game in a different game.

Next Station Paris Solo Game

If you would like to play Next Station Paris solo, there are a few special rules that you need to follow. The goal of the solo game is to score as many points as possible.

During setup place the four colored pencils in a random order. You can choose to play the solo game with the Shared Objective and/or City Gate cards.

You will play the solo game in the exact same way as the main game. Create the four metro lines in the order that you placed the colored pencils.

At the end of the game you will total your score like in the normal game. If you chose to use the Shared Objective cards, you will deduct ten points from your total. If you use the City Gate cards you will also reduce your score by ten points. Then compare your score to the chart below to see how well you did.

100 or less points: Final Stop! The city of Paris thanks you but no luck this time! Play again to show them what you’re really made of!
101-120 points: Come on! It’s time to get back on track. The city won’t choose you with a network like that!
121-140: Your project is finished but there were some problems during the design phase. You’re not far from becoming a recognized network planner.
141-160: A well-led project. Just a little more effort and you’ll be the star of the metro network.
161-180: Well done! Thanks to you, the Parisian metro is running like a charm. So efficient!
181+: Congratulations, you did it! From now on, we’ll call you Fulgence, after the civil engineer who constructed the Paris Metro!

Next Station Paris FAQ

If you have any questions about how to play the game, leave a comment below on this post. I will try to answer any questions asked as best and as quickly as possible.

Components

Map sheets
4 Colored Pencils (Blue, Green, Orange, Purple)
11 Station Cards (6 Street, 5 Metro)
5 Shared Objective Cards
8 City Gate Cards
Instructions

Year: 2024 | Publisher: Blue Orange Games | Designer: Matthew Dunstan

Genres: City Building, Flip and Write

Ages: 8+ | Number of Players: 1-4 | Length of Game: 30 minutes

Difficulty: Light | Strategy: Moderate | Luck: Light-Moderate

For more board and card game rules/how to plays, check out our complete alphabetical list of card and board game rules posts.

Written By:

Eric Mortensen

Eric Mortensen is an owner and head writer on Geeky Hobbies since 2014. He is an avid board game player and collector with over 3,000 board and card games in his collection. Since 2014 he has written more than 1,100 board game how to play guides.

We at Geeky Hobbies would like to thank Blue Orange Games for the review copy of Next Station Paris used for this review. Other than receiving a free copy of the game to review, we at Geeky Hobbies received no other compensation.